CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

"Time for Reform" Consultation Exercise

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects legislation to be introduced to implement the recommendations of the "Time for Reform" consultation exercise.

Richard Caborn: We remain fully committed to the policies set out in the White Paper "Time for Reform" and intend to introduce legislation to reform and modernise the alcohol and public entertainment licensing laws as soon as parliamentary time permits.

Ministerial Visits (North-East)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times since November 2000 Ministers from her Department have visited (a) the Teesside area and (b) Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency to meet with locally based businesses.

Richard Caborn: Ministers from this Department visited the Tees Valley area on four occasions since November 2000 and met a number of individuals and organisations which included locally based businesses. None of these visits were to the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency.

Film Industry

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent action she has taken to support and develop the UK film industry.

Richard Caborn: The Government set up the Film Council in October 1999 to develop a sustainable UK film industry. It has since launched the following initiatives:
	£60 million of lottery funding for investment over a three year period in film development and production.
	A new £1 million a year training fund making awards for schemes targeting writers and development executives, and producers and business executives.
	9 regional screen agencies to develop film regionally.
	A £1 million scheme to teach young people to make short films using digital technology.
	The Cinema Marketing Agency, a co-funded venture between the Film Council and the All Industry Marketing Committee, to market and promote cinema to all audiences in order to increase the frequency of cinema-going.
	The new MEDIA Desk backed by the Film Council, providing information about the MEDIA Plus programme to the UK film, television and new media industry.
	A research and Statistics Unit for the first time able to provide comprehensive and authoritative data and information on the film industry for the benefit of the industry itself, Government and the media.
	In addition the Film Council, through the British Film Commission, continues to promote inward investment from the international film industry into the UK. The British Film Institute is driving forward the strategy for film culture and education in the UK. The Film Council also co-funds film activities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his March Budget, extended to 2005 the tax relief for film. This will help encourage investment in British film production.

Sports Clubs

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about tax relief for community and amateur sports clubs.

Richard Caborn: My Department has been in regular dialogue with HM Treasury and the Inland Revenue following my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement in his Budget speech of his intention to consult on a tax relief for community amateur sports clubs. My officials have also been in close dialogue with representatives of Sport England, the Central Council of Physical Recreation and the National Playing Fields Association on this issue.
	Following the pre-Budget report this week, the Government are pleased to announce that the Treasury is today launching a consultation document on the best way for tax relief to help community amateur sports clubs that make a positive contribution to their local communities. The Charity Commission has also today announced that it will recognise as charitable community amateur sports clubs that promote participation in healthy recreation by the provision of facilities for the playing of particular sports. This development should enable many community amateur sports clubs to obtain charitable status and the tax relief that goes with it. My officials have been in discussion with the Charity Commission about the potential impact of this development.

DEFENCE

NATO

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the UK will pay to NATO as its share of NATO's overall costs in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04; and what the equivalent figures are for other NATO member countries.

Geoff Hoon: The Ministry of Defence pays the UK's contributions to NATO's Military Budget and Security Investment Programme. It also makes a very small payment towards the Civil Budget, to which the major contributor is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The estimated net expenditure for the current financial year is £113 million. Subject to exchange rate and other technical variations, we would expect the next year's payments to be of the same order. In the subsequent year, ceilings have still to be agreed for NATO's budget year 2003 which is the major influence on our financial year 2003–04 payments.
	We do not have figures for other NATO countries. However, their payments are made in accordance with the agreed cost shares for each budget.

NATO

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often the NATO-ESDP Working Groups on capabilities have met; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The NATO-EU Ad Hoc Working Group on Capabilities has met eight times, including its inaugural meeting on 28 July 2000.
	The group was set up following the Feira European Council in June 2000. The group has enabled useful exchanges of information and dialogue between the two organisations on capability development issues, in addition to the extensive staff contacts that have taken place on the development of the Headline Goal and the Defence Capabilities Initiative.

Departmental Report

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to publish a report on his Department's performance during financial year 2000–01.

Geoff Hoon: Information about the Ministry of Defence's (MOD's) performance during the last financial year is contained within the MOD Performance Report 2000–01, which will be laid before the House on 30 November, as Cmd 5290. Copies of this report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Operation Veritas

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he expects that the extra £100 million allocation announced in the Chancellor's pre-Budget report will fully cover the costs associated with Operation Veritas in the current financial year.

Geoff Hoon: The extra £100 million has been made available by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to cover new equipment and immediate operational requirements needed for operations in Afghanistan and the campaign against international terrorism.
	We are at a relatively early stage of Operation Veritas. The financial data on the costs of the operation are still being gathered. I hope to be able to provide the information in due course.

European Security and Defence Policy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which defence projects in the EU have been (a) initiated and (b) brought forward as a result of the aspiration to achieve the objectives of the European Security and Defence Policy.

Geoff Hoon: Decisions to initiate or accelerate defence projects are driven by a wide range of factors. These encompass both national priorities and the relevant commitments of nations towards international bodies such as NATO and the EU.
	The European Council has agreed that the capability objectives of the European Security and Defence Policy and those of NATO will, for the countries concerned, be mutually reinforcing. It is therefore neither practical nor necessary to categorise project initiatives solely under a European Security and Defence Policy or NATO heading.

EU Defence Spending

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the EU member states which are increasing their defence spending in real terms over the next three years.

Geoff Hoon: The UK is committed to increasing its defence expenditure in real terms between financial years 2000–01 and 2003–04. Other countries' defence spending plans are a matter for them. EU member states have committed themselves to real increases in defence capability over the next few years, in particular at the Capabilities Improvement Conference in Brussels on 19–20 November.

HMS Gannet

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons were for the timing of the decommissioning of Squadron 819 at RNAS Prestwick.

Adam Ingram: The planned date for the reduction of HMS Gannet to a Forward Operating Base remains 31 March 2002. In order to achieve this drawdown in practical terms it has been necessary to reduce the supporting infrastructure and move the Anti-Submarine Warfare helicopters based at HMS Gannet in stages, at the same time re-appointing the personnel of 819 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) associated with these aircraft. This resulted in the decommissioning of 819 NAS on 1 November 2001.

HMS Gannet

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy personnel are based at HMS Gannet; and what was the cost of their (a) accommodation and (b) subsistence for each of the last 12 months.

Adam Ingram: There are 210 service personnel serving in HMS Gannet. The total accommodation and subsistence costs for the past 12 months are as follows:
	
		£000 
		
			  Accommodation costs Subsistence 
		
		
			 2001   
			 November 86 27 
			 October 109 27 
			 September 111 9 
			 August 98 8 
			 July 117 8 
			 June 99 7 
			 May 123 8 
			 April 107 7 
			 March 103 8 
			 February 102 7 
			 January 94 6 
			
			 2000   
			 December 96 6 
			  
			 Total 1,245 128

HMS Gannet

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy personnel will be based at HMS Gannet, Prestwick from April 2002; and how they will be accommodated.

Adam Ingram: The Scheme of Complement for the HMS Gannet Forward Operating Base, from 1 April 2002, will be 82 RN personnel. They will be accommodated in either Service Family Accommodation (Married Quarters) for married and accompanied individuals, or Substitute Single Service Accommodation for those who are either unmarried or are married but are serving unaccompanied.

HMS Gannet

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of the lease of the HMS Gannet site at Prestwick airport; and how long the lease has to run.

Adam Ingram: There are two leases at the HMS Gannet site—one for the domestic site, known as Greensite and one for the operational site. The current leases for these two sites are due to expire in November 2013 and July 2019 respectively. Because the cost of the leases is commercially confidential, I am withholding the information requested under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Departmental Staff

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many employees of (a) his Department and (b) agencies sponsored by his Department work in (i) London, (ii) areas benefiting from EU objective 1 status, (iii) areas with objective 2 status and (iv) other areas.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 19 November 2001
	The number of permanent and casual civil servants employed by DTLR(C) at 1 October is given in the table. The numbers for the agencies are based on the Departmental annual report for 2001. The information on the number of staff working in areas benefiting from EU objective 1 and objective 2 status is unavailable due to the disproportionate cost of collection.
	
		
			  DTLR(C) Agencies 
		
		
			 London 2,828 1,001 
			 Elsewhere 727 12,808 
			  
			 Total 3,555 13,809

Street Warden Scheme

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which areas in London were successful in their bids under the street warden scheme; and which were unsuccessful.

Sally Keeble: The Government Office for London received 45 street wardens bids. 18 bids, totalling more than £4.2 million, were approved.
	Organisations other than local authorities, for example, housing associations, were eligible to apply under this DTLR funded pilot scheme. The table shows the successful and unsuccessful bids, the lead agency and the bid area.
	
		
			 Lead agency Bid area 
		
		
			 Successful bids  
			 London Borough of Redbridge Hainault Ward 
			 London Borough of Bromley Commercial areas of West Wickham and Hayes 
			 London Borough of Harrow Wealdstone Area 
			 Paddington Churches Housing Association Stamford Hill Neighbourhood 
			 London Borough of Camden Kings Cross 
			 London Borough Southwark Peckham High Street 
			 London Borough Lewisham Catford Town Centre 
			 London Borough of Greenwich and Greenwich Community Safety Trust Safer Thamesmead and Abbey Wood Wardens Project 
			 Barnet Community Safety Partnership East Finchley, High Barnet and Finchley Central 
			 Genesis Housing Group North Addington Neighbourhood Wardens Project 
			 Hyde Housing Association Lyon street area 
			 Royal Borough of Kingston Council housing estates 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham Crime Reduction Partnership Shepherds Bush Green Triangle 
			 Bethnal Green Connecting Communities Partnership Bethnal Green Gateway 
			 Neighbourhood Management Service Bowes Park street 
			 London Borough of Barking and Dagenham River, Village and Goresbrook Wards 
			 London Borough of Wandsworth Clapham Junction 
			 London Borough of Merton Lavender, Pollards Hill, St. Helier Wards and Mitcham and Wimbledon Town Centres 
			 Unsuccessful bids  
			 London Borough of Ealing Acton Town Centre 
			 London Borough of Ealing Ealing and West Ealing Town Centre 
			 London Borough of Ealing Southall Town Centre 
			 London Borough of Lambeth Clapham Common and Streatham Neighbourhoods 
			 London Borough of Bromley St. Mary Cray Ward 
			 London Borough of Bexley Town Centres and Residential Areas 
			 London Boroughs of Richmond upon Thames and Hounslow Butts Farm, Leeson and Hounslow Heath street 
			 London Borough of Hounslow Hounslow Town Centre 
			 London Borough of Hounslow Hounslow Neighbourhood 
			 Notting Dale NWP Notting Dale Police Sector, North Kensington 
			 London Borough of Hillingdon Town Centres in Hillingdon 
			 The New West End Company (NWEC) Bond street, Oxford street and Regent street 
			 Poplar Area Neighbourhood Partnership Poplar street 
			 Lilac Project Soho, Covent Garden and Bloomsbury 
			 London Borough of Waltham Forest Bakers Arms street 
			 London Borough of Barnet Various towns within LB Barnet 
			 The Circle Initiative Five areas of central London 
			 Wandsworth Council Clapham Junction (Added Value Bid) 
			 London Borough of Newham Community Forum street 
			 London Borough of Brent Wembley 
			 Kingston Town Centre Management Ltd. Kingston Town Centre 
			 London Borough of Islington Islington High street 
			 London Borough of Tower Hamlets Stepney 
			 High Trees Community Development Trust St. Martin's Estate and surrounding area 
			 Object X2D Wandsworth 
			 Clapton Community Housing Trust Upper Clapton road and Wrenns Park Estate 
			 Croydon Council Fieldway and New Addington

Terminal 5

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his statement of 20 November, on Terminal 5, if he will set out the terms of reference of the research study to reassess attitudes to aircraft noise.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 23 November 2001
	The initial terms of reference are as follows:
	Aims and objectives
	A1. The White Paper, "New Deal for Transport", announced the Government's intention to formulate an aviation policy looking some 30 years ahead and stated the principle that the aviation industry should, in broad terms, meet the external costs it imposes. The Department's consultation on "The Future of Aviation" noted (para 149) that further research into the monetary valuation of the effects of noise may be needed to inform charging strategies.
	A2. The Study is to reassess attitudes to aircraft noise in England; their correlation with the Leq noise index; and to examine (hypothetical) willingness to pay in respect of nuisance from such noise, in relation to other elements, on the basis of stated preference (SP) survey evidence.
	Issues and scope
	A3. The Study shall be of sufficient scale and scope to provide a methodologically robust re-assessment of the validity of the Leq family of noise indices as a proxy for relative community annoyance; and in particular the relative weightings on average event noise level and number of events.
	This project was announced by my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Ainsworth) in May and is not directly connected with the planning decision on Heathrow Terminal 5. The project consists of two phases and is expected to last approximately three years. The contract has recently been awarded to a consortium led by The MVA Consultancy.
	I will also ensure that all available research into sleep disturbance and attitudes to aircraft noise by day and by night will be taken into account in the consultation about the bight noise regime at the designated London airports to be undertaken by 2003.

Homeless People

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of lettings were made available to homeless households in priority need by local authorities; what proportion of lettings were made available to homeless households in priority need by housing associations; and how many homeless households were in temporary accommodation by region at the end of each year from 1991–92 to 2000–01.

Sally Keeble: The available information is as follows:
	
		Proportion of local authority and registered social landlord lettings made available to new tenants who were homeless households in priority need; and number of homeless households in temporary accommodation arranged by the local authority at 31 March: by region
		
			  1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 
		
		
			 North East  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 27 24 20 18 16 13 9 13 11 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 15 12 6 6 5 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 400 500 500 500 500 500 700 1,000 1,100 
			   
			 North West  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 25 25 24 21 19 16 11 10 10 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 16 13 8 7 6 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 2,700 3,100 2,800 2,300 2,200 2,100 2,400 2,200 2,000 
			   
			 Yorkshire and the Humber  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 29 32 29 23 19 15 16 16 13 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 21 17 10 8 8 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 2,300 2,200 1,900 1,600 1,400 1,000 1,200 2,200 1,400 
			   
			 East Midlands  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 41 40 32 28 26 20 13 14 16 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 25 21 14 12 10 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 1,900 1,600 1,400 1,600 1,500 1,400 1,300 1,600 2,000 
			   
			 West Midlands  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 41 42 36 31 30 27 29 26 22 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 26 21 16 14 14 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 1,900 1,700 1,500 1,200 1,200 1,100 2,000 1,500 1,800 
			 East of England  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 40 40 34 34 30 28 17 23 21 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 30 25 16 19 19 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 4,300 3,900 3,200 3,100 2,800 2,600 3,280 3,600 4,500 
			   
			 London  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 64 65 56 52 51 49 43 49 57 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 53 51 41 41 44 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 39,500 38,000 30,100 25,800 24,600 24,000 25,600 30,500 37,700 
			   
			 South East  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 41 41 39 39 38 34 23 26 32 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 39 36 25 26 25 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 8,300 8,100 7,300 7,300 6,700 6,400 7,700 8,800 9,700 
			   
			 South West  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 40 42 39 37 35 32 18 24 27 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 32 31 22 26 31 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 2,900 2,800 2,700 2,800 2,600 2,200 3,300 4,700 4,800 
			   
			 England  
			 LA lettings (percentage) 38 39 35 31 28 25 20 22 22 
			 RSL lettings (percentage) n/a n/a n/a n/a 30 26 18 18 18 
			 Numbers accommodated(1) 64,300 62,000 51,500 46,300 43,500 41,600 46,400 56,200 64,800 
		
	
	(1) Homeless households in temporary accommodation arranged by local authorities
	Note:
	Homeless households are households in priority need for whom a statutory duty has been accepted by a local authority under homelessness provisions of Housing Acts. Lettings to these households have been expressed as a percentage of all secure LA lettings and all RSL lettings to new tenants, ie excluding transfers and exchanges between existing tenants of social landlords
	Sources:
	DTLR Housing Investment Programme returns (annual):
	Housing Corporation "CORE" returns

Homeless People

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list (a) by region and (b) by size of property in terms of number of bedrooms the proportion of (i) secure lettings made available by local authorities to homeless households and (ii) lettings made available to homeless households by housing associations in 2000–01.

Sally Keeble: Information for 2000–01 is not yet available. Information on 1999–2000 lettings reported by local authorities on their 2000 Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns, and corresponding data in respect of registered social landlord lettings collected through the CORE data systems are given in the tables:
	
		Table 1: Lettings to homeless households in 1999–2000 as a proportion of all LA new secure lettings and RSL lettings to new tenants by region -- Percentage
		
			  LA lettings RSL letting 
		
		
			 North East 11 5 
			 North West 10 6 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 13 8 
			 East Midlands 16 10 
			 West Midlands 22 14 
			 East of England 21 19 
			 London 57 44 
			 South East 32 25 
			 South West 27 31 
			 England 22 18 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Lettings to homeless households in 1999–2000 as a proportion of all LA new secure lettings and RSL lettings to new tenants by size of property in terms of number of bedrooms -- Percentage
		
			  LA lettings RSL lettings 
		
		
			 One bedroom properties 15 10 
			 Two bedroom properties(2)28 23 
			 Three or more bedroom properties  29 
			 Total all properties 22 18 
		
	
	(2) Data only available for two or more bedrooms
	Note:
	Homeless households are households in priority need for whom a statutory duty has been accepted by a local authority under homelessness provisions of Housing Acts. Lettings to these households have been expressed as a percentage of lettings to new tenants ie excluding transfers and exchanges between existing tenants of social landlords.
	Sources:
	DTLR Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns (annual):
	Housing Corporation "CORE" returns.

Homeless People

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many homeless people there are in the Buckingham constituency.

Sally Keeble: The information is as follows:
	
		Homeless households (and homeless at home) in accommodation at 31 March 2001 in Aylesbury Vale
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Total 195 
			 of which:  
			 With dependant children or a pregnant woman 159 
			 In bed and breakfast accommodation 5 
			 Rough sleeping (3)0–10 
		
	
	(3) Local authority estimate of the typical number of people currently sleeping rough in the area on any single night.
	Note:
	There are a high number of people in temporary accommodation at 125 in Aylesbury Vale, but the proportion in bed and breakfast accommodation is relatively low at 2 per cent.
	Source:
	Housing Investment Programme 2001 Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix

Homeless People

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many (a) permanent and (b) temporary homeless people there were in rural areas broken down by local authority in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997, (iii) 1998, (iv) 1999, (v) 2000 and (vi) 2001.

Sally Keeble: I have placed the information requested in the Library.

Public Transport (ME Sufferers)

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to provide for the subsidisation of public transport use for ME sufferers.

Sally Keeble: The Transport Act 2000 guarantees that disabled people are entitled to at least half fares or better on local bus services, with a free bus pass. In addition the Transport Act 1985 (outside London) and the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (London) give local authorities the discretion to provide concessionary travel for their resident disabled people on public transport services.
	The provisions in all three Acts extend the concessions to a wide range of disabled people. It is for local authorities to decide whether a person is eligible for concessionary travel given the definitions of the Acts.

Home Zones

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many home zones are (a) in force and (b) under preparation or development, broken down by local authority.

Sally Keeble: We are currently monitoring nine pilot home zone projects in England and Wales. The pilot schemes are in Ealing, Lambeth, Leeds, Manchester, Monmouthshire, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth and Sittingbourne. A number of local authorities have implemented home zones outside of the pilot project.
	A £30 million challenge fund for home zones in England was announced by the Prime Minister in April. 237 bids were received from 110 local traffic authorities. We hope to announce details of the successful schemes before Christmas.

House Sales

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the home search and survey process in the house sale market; and what plans he has to improve the system.

Sally Keeble: Surveys and searches are intended to tell prospective home buyers about the condition of the property they are buying and about registered title, charges, planning highways and other matters directly affecting the property. Nearly all prospective home buyers have searches carried out, but only a minority commission a professional survey. Most of the remainder rely on a valuation inspection carried out on behalf of a lender. This is often a false economy since a valuation inspection is not a condition survey.
	Searches and survey information are of key importance to home buying decisions and yet, under the present home buying and selling process, they become available only after terms have been agreed between buyer and seller. This is a major cause of uncertainty, delay and transaction failure. Our research showed that 28 per cent. of transactions failed after terms had been agreed, and that in 43 per cent. of those cases the reason was problems revealed by either an independent survey or a lender's valuation inspection. This failure rate costs consumers in the region of £350 million each year in wasted expenditure.
	Our package of measures to improve the home buying and selling process will address this problem. Home sellers will be required to make key information available in the form of a "seller's pack" before terms are agreed, rather than the buyer having to uncover the facts later under the current system.
	Modernising the process of carrying out searches is also a crucial part of the reform package. The National Land Information Service (NLIS) will provide a fast, one-stop, on-line national searches service.
	As soon as parliamentary time allows, we will introduce legislation to make it easier for people buying and selling homes through a seller's pack.

Planning Appeals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many planning applications were subject to an appeal against refusal; what percentages of appeals were (a) wholly allowed, (b) partially allowed and (c) dismissed; and in how many cases costs were awarded against the relevant council in respect of planning applications submitted to (i) Lewes district council and (ii) Wealden district council for each year from 1990 to date.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 29 November 2001
	The provision of information on planning appeals is the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. I have asked the Inspectorate's Chief Executive, Mr. Chris Shepley, to write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from C. J. Shepley to Norman Baker, dated 30 November 2001
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about planning appeal statistics in the Lewes District Council and Wealden District Council areas.
	The numbers of appeals received in these areas are shown on the enclosed tables. Information available about decisions issued in 1990 is not fully available as our statistics database records only appeals received from 1990 onwards. Many of the decisions in 1990 would have been received in 1989, so no record exists. For planning appeals, partially allowed decisions are recorded as allowed.
	It is not possible to provide the information requested about costs awards as these records are only maintained on a national basis.
	
		Planning appeals received
		
			 Year Lewes D. C. Wealden D. C. 
		
		
			 1990 40 106 
			 1991 60 131 
			 1992 69 130 
			 1993 60 96 
			 1994 60 76 
			 1995 58 74 
			 1996 53 92 
			 1997 61 84 
			 1998 46 70 
			 1999 49 77 
			 2000 57 84 
			 2001 to date 48 61 
		
	
	
		Planning appeals decided—Lewes D. C.
		
			 Year Decided Percentage allowed Percentage dismissed 
		
		
			 1990 n/a n/a n/a 
			 1991 68 16 84 
			 1992 62 37 63 
			 1993 52 33 67 
			 1994 49 31 69 
			 1995 43 44 56 
			 1996 54 37 63 
			 1997 46 37 63 
			 1998 49 35 65 
			 1999 47 40 60 
			 2000 48 38 62 
			 2001 to date 44 27 73 
		
	
	
		Planning appeals decided—Wealden D. C.
		
			 Year Decided Percentage decided Percentage dismissed 
		
		
			 1990 n/a n/a n/a 
			 1991 137 20 80 
			 1992 116 24 76 
			 1993 91 27 73 
			 1994 74 26 74 
			 1995 58 24 76 
			 1996 65 26 74 
			 1997 82 43 57 
			 1998 73 32 68 
			 1999 64 38 62 
			 2000 69 28 72 
			 2001 to date 57 30 70

West Coast Main Line

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the time scale for introducing high speed trains on the west coast main line.

David Jamieson: holding answer 29 November 2001
	High-speed trains currently operate on the route at 110 mph. 125 mph running is expected from 2003.

West Coast Main Line

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the upgrade of the west coast main line.

David Jamieson: holding answer 29 November 2001
	The Government remain committed to providing a revitalised rail network, and the west coast main line upgrade is an integral part of that commitment. It is clear from our discussions with the Strategic Rail Authority, the Railway Administrator and Virgin that parts of the project are subject to uncertainties over cost increases and timetables. We are in discussion with the parties on the issues involved and the options. At this stage we cannot predict the outcome of those discussions, but we are working hard to reach agreement on a project which is value for money and can be delivered to a clear timetable, subject to the need to obtain any planning consents.

Social Housing (Rural Areas)

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 693W, on social housing, if he will list the proportion of social housing stock in rural areas that has transferred from local authority ownership under (a) the right-to-buy scheme and (b) registered social landlords in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997, (iii) 1998, (iv) 1999, (v) 2000 and (vi) 2001.

Sally Keeble: The number of local authority dwellings in rural areas transferred from local authority ownership under the right-to-buy scheme and to registered social landlords (as reported by local authorities) in each of the years 1995–96 to 2000–01 as a proportion of the total authority stock at 1 April each year is as follows:
	
		Proportion of LA stock transferred from LA ownership -- Percentage
		
			 Year Right to buy scheme To RSLs 
		
		
			 1995–96 1.2 3.4 
			 1996–97 1.2 2.1 
			 1997–98 1.5 1.5 
			 1998–99 1.4 5.5 
			 1999–2000 2.0 3.5 
			 2000–01 1.6 6.9

Social Housing (Rural Areas)

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 319W, on the Rural White Paper, if he will list the proportion of social housing stock occupied in rural areas by local authority in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999, (e) 2000 and (f) 2001.

Sally Keeble: I have placed the information requested in the Library. The table presents data showing the derived levels of occupied social stock as at 1 April in each year from 1996 to 2001, distinguishing between stock owned by local authorities and by Registered Social Landlords, in authorities categorised as either 'mixed rural' or 'deep rural' at local authority level. For comparison purposes information is shown based on post local govern reorganisation boundaries. Estimates of residential housing stock and vacancy levels are reported by local authorities annually on housing investment programme returns.

Planning

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many of the planning issues called in last year were rejected.

Sally Keeble: 127 planning applications were called-in in the last financial year (1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001). Of the 55 applications which have so far been determined planning permission was refused in 31 cases.

Affordable Housing (Planning Guidance)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on how section 106 agreements can be made to encourage cross-boundary co-operation between authorities for the purposes of the delivery of affordable housing; and what guidance he gives on what reference should be made to (a) circular 6/98 and (b) Planning Policy Guidance 3.

Sally Keeble: Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 "Housing" advised that regional planning bodies may need to estimate the future balance between market and affordable housing, and identify and assess regional and sub-regional trends and factors which are likely to influence local housing need. In drafting regional planning guidance, they should also take into account regional housing statements which provide a regional context for local authorities when drawing up their housing strategies and support the development of more strategic approaches to tackling housing need.
	We intend to publish shortly a consultation document on our proposals for reforming planning obligations and how we might increase the provision of affordable housing through the planning system.

Affordable Housing (Planning Guidance)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what checks his Department makes to ensure that there are consistent determinations through the planning process with particular reference to the provision of affordable housing through section 106 agreements.

Sally Keeble: Development plans form the framework within which decisions on proposals for development are taken. The Secretary of State is a statutory consultee in their preparation and can make objections when there are conflicts with national guidance, including on affordable housing, which do not appear to be justified by local circumstances. He has powers of intervention to direct that plan proposals shall be modified before adoption. He can also call in planning applications where the provision of affordable housing is at issue.

Flood Plains

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list those planning applications that have been agreed for development in the flood plains since the introduction of the revised Planning Policy Guidance 25; and what was the position of the Environment Agency in each case.

Sally Keeble: This information is not available centrally.
	The Environment Agency reports annually under the high-level targets published in 1999 on its response to planning applications, identifying cases where the agency sustained objections on flood-risk grounds and final decisions, by the local planning authority or on appeal, were in line with or contrary to agency advice. The report for 1999–2000, covering the period from 1 October 1999 to 31 March 2000 was placed in the Library of the House by the then Minister for Planning on 21 December 2000, Official Report, column 311W. The report for 2000–01, covering the period from 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001, is expected to be published shortly.

NATS

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the ability of the NATS PPP to provide for the (a) debt repayment and (b) capital investment contained in the business plan negotiated with the strategic partner;
	(2)  how the investment required by National Air Traffic Services in the next 10 years will be funded.

David Jamieson: NATS are finalising their business plan, which will take into account the impact of the event of 11 September. The plan will be submitted to the Government shortly.

NATS

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if an application has been made to alter the strategic agreement for National Air Traffic Services; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Airline Group (the Government's strategic partner in the Public Private Partnership for National Air Traffic Services) has made application to alter the Strategic Partnership Agreement in relation to the deferral in the completion of the New Scottish Centre. The Strategic Partnership Agreement regulates the relationship between the Government and the Airline Group as shareholders in National Air Traffic Services.

NATS

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to review the structure of the NATS PPP following the events of 11 September.

David Jamieson: I have no plans for such a review.

NATS

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how the costs of voluntary redundancies at NATS will be met; and what assessment he has made of the effects on the pension fund.

David Jamieson: NATS has made provision for such restructuring costs as part of its Business Plan. The direct effect on the pension fund will be the injection of moneys to the fund to support the cost of pension enhancement for those fund members taking voluntary retirement.

NATS

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if Service Level Agreements with NATS engineers will be guaranteed following the engineering review.

David Jamieson: NATS has defined service levels for all its operational equipment systems. As part of its engineering review, the company has been reviewing the required levels of service for these systems, and these will continue to be included in Service Level Agreements.

NATS

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what report he has received from the Economic Regulator on cost cutting measures for NATS.

David Jamieson: No such report has been received.

Atlantic House, Prestwick

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made in replacing the oceanic system at Atlantic House in Prestwick; and what is his estimate of its operational date.

David Jamieson: Procurement options are being investigated and, pending a decision on the way forward, it is not possible to predict the operational date of the new system. In the meantime the current system is subject to a sustained programme that will keep it fully operational and capable of meeting the forecast capacity demand at least until 2006. The existing system is currently enjoying its best performance since its introduction, with 100 per cent. availability in 2001.

Atlantic House, Prestwick

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what is his estimate of the lifespan of the upgraded radar system being installed at Atlantic House, Prestwick.

David Jamieson: The new radar data processing system at Prestwick is capable of displaying a maximum of 350 aircraft on a radar screen at any one time. The current maximum number being displayed is around 150. The system could be modified to display a greater number of targets if that were required. However, the project plan was based on the assumption that the system would not reach the capacity of 350 aircraft being displayed on a screen before 2012.

Rough Sleepers

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will make an announcement of the rough sleepers unit's progress towards meeting the target to reduce the number of people sleeping rough.

Sally Keeble: The latest figures on rough sleepers in England will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses on the morning of Monday 3 December.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Fraud

Phil Hope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish the inspection report of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate in respect of Birmingham city council.

Malcolm Wicks: The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate report was published today in respect of Birmingham city council and copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
	BFI reports that the council's performance in benefits administration was poor and counter fraud activity was very weak at the time of inspection. Inspectors found claims processing backlogs and a very poor filing system. There was a significant risk of internal fraud with procedural weaknesses including flawed computer access control and management checking.
	BFI considered the council's overpayment administration was inadequate with some £3.5 million of overpayments outstanding for over two years without any recovery action being instigated. Overpayments were regularly reclassified as "fraudulent" without evidence of it—£2.2 million was reclassified in this way in 1999–2000.
	The report notes the council recognised its benefit administration inadequacies and restructured its service shortly before the inspection. This included the establishment of a central overpayment team.
	Inspectors found that a high level of WBS savings was claimed inappropriately. The council was failing to gather enough evidence and was not meeting subsidy order requirements. The report also notes other weaknesses in the council's counter fraud activity including a failure to analyse risks or use inspectors' powers.
	The report makes recommendations to help the council address weaknesses and to improve the administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit, as well as its counter fraud activities.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and will be asking the council for its proposals in response to the findings and recommendations of the BFI.

Benefit Fraud

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the extent of benefit fraud in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom on an annual basis.

Malcolm Wicks: Our most recent estimate is that £2 billion is lost annually through benefit fraud in Great Britain. This estimate cannot be broken down by region.
	We have set firm targets for reducing the amount of fraud and error in income support and jobseeeker's allowance and we have already met our first milestone, of a 10 per cent. reduction, 18 months ahead of schedule.

Benefit Fraud

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the legal advice received by his Department on the disclosure of databases of personal data held by third parties to benefit fraud officials, as covered by the anti-fraud social security legislation of 1997 and 2001.

Malcolm Wicks: We do not publish internal discussion and advice. This is in line with Part II, paragraph 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Pension Forecasts

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the manner in which the Government will provide information to individuals about combined state and private pension forecasts.

Ian McCartney: Combined pension forecasts are issued by private/occupational pension providers using information made available by the Department for Work and Pensions.
	Individuals will be informed about combined pension forecasts by their scheme provider/employer, and can choose whether or not they wish to receive one.
	Pilot exercises conducted with the private sector demonstrated that recipients of the new joint statement, which provides people with easy to understand information on both their state and private pensions, found the service helpful in planning their future income needs in retirement.
	The focus of the Department's recruitment activity is on pension scheme providers and employers with occupational pension schemes who will offer the new combined pension forecast service to their members. We will continue to provide general information to individuals about the various pension options available and the importance of reviewing their needs regularly through our pensions education campaign.
	The Department for Work and Pensions commenced the recruitment of pensions scheme providers at the annual Pensions Show on 17 October 2001 and intend to exhibit at appropriate industry events in the future.

New Deal

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what resources are being targeted to help people aged (a) 50 and over and (b) under 25 years who are not working, to set up their own businesses.

Nick Brown: The new deal 50 plus, new deal for disabled people, new deal 25 plus, work based learning for adults and training for work, all provide a range of help for people over 50 who wish to set up in business. Support for the under 25s who wish to establish their own business is provided by two major initiatives: the self-employment route of new deal for young people and the youth enterprise initiative.

New Deal

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what alternative to individual learning accounts is offered to new deal 50 plus participants reaching the end of their 52 weeks on employment credit and in receipt of a training grant.

Nick Brown: We are currently in the process of making alternative arrangements following the suspension of ILAs. In the meantime, people can still access the £150 new deal 50 plus contribution by contacting their local Jobcentre.

New Deal

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in East Devon are on the new deal programme, broken down by each category of the new deal.

Nick Brown: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  Programme Number of people on the programme(4) 
		
		
			 New deal for young people 25 
			 New deal 25 plus 22 
			 New deal for lone parents 158 
			 New deal 50 plus(5) (6)46 
		
	
	(4) End August 2001
	(5) Employment credit claims
	(6) At end of September 2001
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database
	Constituency level information is not available for the new deals for disabled people and partners.

Mortgage Support

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of working age households in each English region were receiving mortgage support through their income support in (a) March 1997 and (b) March 2001.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the table.
	
		Working age income support (IS) recipients receiving income support mortgage interest payments by Government office region, as at February 1997 and February 2001
		
			  February 1997 February 2001  
			 English region Number of IS cases (thousand) Percentage of working age population Number of IS cases (thousand) Percentage of working age population 
		
		
			 All England 208.3 0.7 149.0 0.5 
			 North East 10.3 0.7 8.1 0.5 
			 North West 36.2 0.9 27.0 0.6 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 20.8 0.7 16.9 0.5 
			 East Midlands 15.3 0.6 11.6 0.4 
			 West Midlands 23.2 0.7 18.0 0.6 
			 East 21.3 0.7 14.4 0.4 
			 London 32.0 0.7 22.4 0.5 
			 South East 29.5 0.6 18.1 0.4 
			 South West 19.6 0.7 12.5 0.4 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. North West includes Merseyside Government office region, previously shown separately
	2. Working age income support recipients are defined as single people or family units receiving income support where the main recipient is of working age (male 16–64, female 16–59). This will include cases where the main recipient's partner is of state pension age
	3. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling error
	4. Case load figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred; percentages are given to one decimal place
	Sources:
	Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, February 1997 and February 2001
	Office for National Statistics mid-term estimates of the population for 1997 and 2000

Hospitalisation (Deduction of Benefits)

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department's regulations governing deduction of benefits for people admitted to hospital for six weeks or more include consideration or fixed costs incurred, with particular reference to standing charges for utilities.

Ian McCartney: The deduction is intended to reflect the fact that hospital in-patients do not have to meet all their day-to-day living expenses.

Child Poverty

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what work his Department has carried out in dealing with child poverty in the last three years.

Malcolm Wicks: Child poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional concepts, affecting many aspects of children's lives—including their living standards, health, housing, the quality of the environment, and opportunities to learn. The Government are committed to ending child poverty within 20 years. Our strategy for tackling child poverty and social exclusion is set out in the annual "Opportunity for all" reports. The third "Opportunity for all" report (Cm 5260) presents the latest information on the indicators used to monitor progress against this strategy.

Child Support

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on what plans he has for existing Child Support Agency customers to be progressed on to the new regulations from April 2002;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the means by which individual CSA customers will be able to seek a review of their cases after the introduction of the new regulations; and what repayments will be backdated to the start of the new regime.

Malcolm Wicks: Changes to the child support scheme will take effect for new cases from April 2002. Existing cases will be transferred to the new scheme about a year later. The precise date will be announced when we are confident that it is working well for new cases.
	When CSA converts existing cases both parents will be notified of the decision and how it has been arrived at. For the vast majority of existing cases the new calculation will take effect from a common date. Either parent can ask the CSA to look at the decision again within one month of notification if they think that it is wrong. If the CSA accepts that the decision is wrong they will correct it straight away. If it turns out that the non-resident parent has overpaid maintenance in the meantime the sums involved may be refunded or offset against future liability.
	Either parent can also appeal against the CSA's decision to an independent tribunal who will consider whether the agency applied the law correctly.

Child Support

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will outline his policy towards disclosure under CSA regulations; how he plans to change it after April 2002 in respect of departures; and what impact this will have upon the rights of a new partner to a parent with non-resident responsibilities.

Malcolm Wicks: The Child Support Agency treats the protection of personal information very seriously and it will only disclose information gathered for child support purposes in circumstances permitted by law.
	Changes to the child support scheme, which are to be introduced for new cases by April 2002, will not include any provision for departures. However, either parent will be able to apply for the child support rates to be varied in specified, exceptional cases. The decision making process for variations will be streamlined. Applications for a variation can be submitted before the maintenance calculation has been made, thus enabling the system to operate more quickly.
	The financial details of a NRP's new partner will not normally be relevant in the changed child support scheme.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

End of Life Vehicles Directive

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place copies of the responses to her Department's consultation paper on the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive in the Libraries of both Houses.

Patricia Hewitt: A list of those who responded and a summary of their responses will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses shortly. Copies of individual responses whose authors have not requested confidentiality will be placed in the DTI library.

End of Life Vehicles Directive

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria she will use for the regulatory impact assessment of the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: A partial regulatory impact assessment of options for implementing the directive was contained in a DTI Consultation Paper published on 10 August 2001. A further regulatory impact assessment will be carried out in the process of finalising the method of implementation. This will identify, and quantify as far as possible, the costs and benefits of implementation, and will be drawn up in accordance with the accepted practices and procedures outlined in the Cabinet Office's published guidance.

Strategy Board

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  when she expects to appoint her Department's Strategy Board; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what criteria will be used to select the business members of her Department's Strategy Board;
	(3)  what the terms of appointment of the business members of her Department's Strategy Board will be; and if members will receive remuneration.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 27 November 2001
	I am considering all issues connected with the establishment of the new Strategy Board, including the criteria to be applied, terms of appointment and remuneration. I expect to make the appointments before 1 April 2002, and will announce them when they are made. We will be adopting an open and transparent procedure for making these appointments and I shall be making an announcement on this procedure in due course.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Countryside Visits

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  for what reason the Countryside Agency Leisure Day Visits Survey (a) did not take place during 2001 and (b) will take place during 2002;
	(2)  pursuant to her answer of 22 November 2001, Official Report, column 425W, on countryside visits, for what reason the United Kingdom Day Visitors Survey was not carried out in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001.

Alun Michael: The United Kingdom Day Visits Survey was not scheduled to take place in 2001. There is a biennial survey programme sponsored by 10 organisations. A survey did not take place in 2000 because of lack of resources. The 2002 survey will put the programme back on schedule.

Hunting

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the potential dangers of transmission of foot and mouth disease from the travelling of hunters from areas where hunting is still suspended to areas where the suspension has been lifted.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 26 November 2001
	Participants in hunting whose main dwelling is not in an FMD free county, or those who have visited livestock premises in an at risk or high risk county within seven days of a hunt, will not be able to take part in hunting. Hunt organisers will be responsible for certifying that these and other rules are being followed to DEFRA's satisfaction and it is intended that records will be kept of participants to ensure that these rules are enforced.

Hunting

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the economic impact on the rural economy of the temporary suspension of hunting.

Alun Michael: holding answer 26 November 2001
	The Department has not carried out an assessment of the economic impact on the rural economy from the temporary suspension of hunting. Our priority has been to concentrate on the eradication of the foot and mouth outbreak.

Hunting

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information is required from landowners before permits are issued allowing the resumption of hunting with dogs on their land.

Alun Michael: The arrangements for a temporary system of permits to regulate hunting with dogs in FMD free counties from 17 December were announced on 15 November and copies were placed in the Library of the House.
	For the proposed permit system, landowners will not be required to submit any information to DEFRA. It will be down to the proposed permit holder and the hunt secretary or person responsible for the hunt (if different) to supply all necessary information.

Industrial Action

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 22 November 2001, Official Report, column 422W, on industrial action, if she will list the level of payments by category that have been delayed since the dispute began.

Elliot Morley: The major impact of industrial action has been on the arable area payments scheme where normally around 60–70 per cent. of payments are made in the first two or three weeks of the payment window, which runs from 16 November to 31 January. This year the figure is expected to be a little over 50 per cent.
	On the livestock schemes the industrial action has had minimal impact. To date industrial action has had limited impact on payments on England Rural Development Plan (ERDP) schemes, some targets on service standards are likely to be missed.

Agrimonetary Support

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 23 November 2001, Official Report, column 519W, on departmental costs, if she will list the representations she has received from the European Union concerning the late payment of support moneys to farmers.

Elliot Morley: The Rural Payments Agency is in touch with the European Commission and they are fully aware of progress on CAP payments.

Research

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research is being carried out by her Department for which moneys from the budgets for (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03 have been committed.

Elliot Morley: Details of all on-going research funded by DEFRA—including the title, the contractor, the budget committed, and the start and scheduled end dates of individual projects—can be viewed on the Department's website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/research/projects. As research projects are commissioned, they are posted on the site.

Rural White Paper

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 321W, on local education authorities, and of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 690W, on educational attainment, what measures her Department plans to use to monitor headline indicator 3 on page 166 of the Rural White Paper.

Alun Michael: The Rural White Paper headline indicator 3—better education for all—will be informed by the work of the Countryside Agency on the development of its own indicators on education and training.
	The agency currently reports on the attainment to national vocational qualification level 3 by those economically active within the Labour Force Survey and also pupils reaching Key Stage 2 within primary schools. The agency plans to continue working with these indicators but to supplement them by developing robust and consistent data on broader educational attainment—A levels, GCSEs—analysed and reported for rural areas.

Tuberculosis

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes her Department is proposing on animal movement restrictions for those herds subject to 12-month test intervals for tuberculosis; and what (a) economic and (b) animal health and welfare assessments she has made.

Elliot Morley: Veterinary risk assessment suggests that there is an increased risk of spread of bovine TB from herds where the test is overdue and that the risk is greatest in areas with a higher historic incidence of TB.
	One way to minimise this risk would be to place such herds under movement restrictions until tested clear. This would entail financial losses for some of the farmers affected. Coming so soon after FMD such a decision would not be taken lightly.
	DEFRA officials are assessing the levels of risk that attach to different types of herd and whether placing some herds under restriction would be proportionate. As part of this exercise officials are discussing proposals with the NFU and other stakeholders. No decision has yet been reached.

Tuberculosis

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made in the last six months of the threat of tuberculosis to (a) human and (b) animal health.

Elliot Morley: Tuberculosis in cattle is caused by the organism M. bovis and this can also cause tuberculosis in humans. Most tuberculosis in humans is caused by a different organism M. tuberculosis.
	There remains a growing threat to cattle health from M. bovis TB. Provisional statistics show that last year new incidents of cattle TB were confirmed in some 1,000 herds and just over 8,300 cattle were slaughtered under disease control measures. Incidence was projected to rise by some 20 per cent. in 2001. Incidence is higher in the south west than elsewhere in England. It is not yet clear what the effect of the suspension of TB testing during the FMD epidemic has been on disease transmission within herds.
	The occurrence of bovine tuberculosis in humans remains rare and runs at about 50 cases a year. There is no evidence of an upward trend. Most cases are thought to arise from re-activation of infection caught before the introduction of widespread pasteurisation of most milk in the 1950s or from infection caught abroad. The geographic spread of incidence in humans does not reflect the geographic spread of the disease in cattle in England. The threat of cattle TB to humans continues to be assessed as low but the situation is under regular review. The recent rise of M. tuberculosis TB in humans is of greater concern.

Organic Production

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress on the Organic Action Plan; what organisations she has met to discuss the Organic Action Plan; and if she will outline the (a) aims, (b) objectives and (c) targets set by the Government to meet the Organic Action Plan.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the Government's intention to set up an Action Plan for Organic Farming in her speech to the Green Alliance on 24 October 2001. On 26 November I was joined by the Environment Minister, the Rural Affairs Minister, and the Food and Farming Minister, Lord Whitty, for exploratory talks with representatives of the organic food and farming sector with a view to launching the Organic Action Plan next year.
	Organisations involved in the discussions included the National Farmers Union, the Soil Association, Country Land and Business Association, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Environment Agency, English Nature, Sustain, Food and Drink Federation, British Retail Consortium, the Institute of Grocery Distribution and representatives from organic certification and research bodies. The industry's response to the Government's initiative was very positive, which I welcome.
	The plan will look at how the organic sector will consolidate gains already made and will set out a strategy for its future direction. Work will begin once the independent Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food has reported. This will allow the Policy Commission's recommendations to be taken into consideration in drawing up the Action Plan's detailed aims and objectives.

Organic Production

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps her Department is taking to encourage UK supermarket companies to increase the level of purchasing of domestically produced organic food and produce;
	(2)  what cross-departmental discussions she has had to encourage organic food consumption in (a) schools, (b) hospitals and (c) other departmentally-funded institutions.

Elliot Morley: On 24 October, in a speech to the Green Alliance, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced our intention to establish an action plan to set out the future direction of the organic food and farming sector. Work on the plan will begin when the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food has reported so that any recommendations the Commission might have can be taken on board. An important issue for the action plan will be how to maximise our farmers' and growers' share of the expanding market for organic produce. We hope that all sectors involved, including the major retailers, will work together in taking this initiative forward.
	In addition the high-level Sustainable Procurement Group, also announced on 24 October, will investigate and make recommendations on how procurement officials on the Government estate can more fully support the Government's sustainable development objectives, including those on food.

Organic Production

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will calculate (a) the area of fully organic UK farmland and (b) the number of companies licensed to produce organic foodstuffs.

Elliot Morley: As at June 2001, the area of fully organic land in the UK was 351,000 hectares. A further 271,000 hectares was in conversion. 3,876 farmers and 2,063 processors (including importers) were registered with the organic inspection bodies.

Organic Production

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the profitability of organic enterprises.

Elliot Morley: Indicative net margin figures for typical enterprises can be found in the booklet on conversion available from the Organic Conversion Information Service, which we fund. I will arrange for a copy to be sent to the hon. Gentleman.

Foot and Mouth

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applications she has received for interest for late payment of foot and mouth compensation.

Elliot Morley: The Department's foot and mouth disease claims unit has received 307 claims for interest on delayed compensation payments.

Foot and Mouth

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made about when Devon will be given disease free status from foot and mouth.

Elliot Morley: Devon attained FMD free status on 27 November once all outstanding serological testing had been completed.

Foot and Mouth

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will pay interest for the late payment of foot and mouth compensation to Mr. Whittal Williams, a constituent.

Elliot Morley: There is no obligation on the Department to pay statutory compensation within a specific time limit or to pay interest on delayed compensation payments. At the outset of the disease we had an aim in mind for the time it would take us to make payments, but the enormous scale of the outbreaks and the pressing need to deal with them as quickly as possible so as to eradicate the disease meant that our priority was to focus available resources on achieving that objective. We were therefore unfortunately not always successful in meeting our goal for making payments.
	The Department apologises for the inconvenience caused by any delay on its part but interest will not be paid on compensation payments.
	Mr. Whittal Williams' claim for interest was referred to the Department by his National Farmers Union representative and an official reply was sent on 3 October.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the methods used to control the foot and mouth epidemic in Mongolia and of the lessons for the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: FMD is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, the middle east and south America. The Department has not made any specific assessment of the outbreak in Mongolia.

Foot and Mouth

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further measures the Government plan to ensure a rapid ban on livestock movement should another outbreak of foot and mouth take place.

Elliot Morley: In the event of a new outbreak of foot and mouth disease, local movement restrictions would be imposed as soon as disease is suspected. The introduction of national movement restrictions would be based on veterinary advice as to risks posed to the wider livestock industry.

Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the applicability of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 to her Department.

Elliot Morley: The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 has applied to the public sector (and therefore DEFRA) since 1 November 1998.
	The legislation provides a statutory right for certain businesses to claim interest on late payment of commercial debts. It applies to any UK commercial contract to which DEFRA is a party.
	With regard to foot and mouth matters, DEFRA takes the view that compensation and cleansing and disinfection costs payable to farmers under the Animal Health Act 1981 and Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983 (as amended) are not commercial contracts within the scope of the Act.

Farmers' Markets

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to encourage the development of farmers' markets.

Elliot Morley: The reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth) on 20 November 2001, Official Report, column 198W, gave details of the measures that we have been taking to encourage the development of farmers' markets. Among other things it referred to the possible availability of grant under the Rural Enterprise Scheme and to the support being provided by the Countryside Agency, whom we grant aid. This support complements that being provided at a local and national level by a variety of governmental and non-governmental bodies.

Sheep Export Ban

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the ban on the export of sheep from the United Kingdom will be lifted.

Elliot Morley: The European Union's Standing Veterinary Committee agreed to allow limited exports of sheep meat from specified countries of GB from 12 November 2001. The current ban on the export of livestock from GB has been extended to 31 January 2002. It is not possible at this stage to predict how long the ban will remain in place. Export restrictions on livestock from Northern Ireland were lifted on 7 June 2001.

Contaminated Food (Border Inspections)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase the number of inspectors at ports to detect contaminated food; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 November 2001
	All products of animal origin imported from third countries into the UK must enter at designated UK Border Inspection Posts (BIP) where they are subject to veterinary inspections. The inspection services at the BIP are the responsibility of the local authority and we expect them to have adequate staff properly to carry out their duties. However, the BIP has to be approved by the European Commission, which conducts periodic inspection missions, and which has to be satisfied that the inspection services are adequate. If they are not, the approval of the BIP may be suspended.
	Products of animal origin produced within the EU may circulate freely in the single market, and are not subject to border checks. They may be subject to checks at the point of destination within the UK.
	In respect of food not of animal origin the Food Standards Agency monitors general food enforcement activity by all local authorities, including port health authorities, and has recently begun a programme of audits to provide more detailed information on enforcement standards.

Fishermen

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her policy on extending MAGP IV by a year; and what measures she will take to assist payments to UK fishermen from this budget line.

Elliot Morley: I welcome the Commission proposal to extend MAGP IV by one year while setting digressive limits on the capacity of the EU fleet, and reducing eligibility for grants for construction and modernisation of vessels. The purpose of the MAGP IV programme is to set quantified limits on member states' fleets, rather than to provide payments to fishermen.

Flood Defences

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much new public money has been spent in 2001 on improving flood defences in (a) York, (b) Uckfield, (c) Yalding, (d) Leamington Spa, (e) Stratford Upon Avon and (f) Lewes.

Elliot Morley: Operational responsibility for flood alleviation measures with the local operating authorities, namely the Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Boards and local councils. DEFRA provides grant for flood defence capital works, and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score.
	I understand the Environment Agency has incurred expenditure in 2001 on such flood alleviation initiatives as studies, flood warning improvements, emergency repairs and maintenance at these sites but has not undertaken capital improvement works.

Food (Pesticide Residues)

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government are undertaking a comprehensive study of the effects of pesticide residues in food; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Department works closely with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on all matters concerning pesticide residues in food. Ministers are advised on this subject by the independent Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC) which oversees a wide-ranging surveillance programme. The results from this programme are published quarterly on the committee's website at www.pesticides.gov.uk
	There has been some specific concern over the potential combined effects of pesticide residues and at the request of the FSA, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), a group of independent experts, established a Working Group for the Risk Assessment of Mixtures of Pesticides/Veterinary Medicines (WIGRAMP).
	The working group is now in the process of preparing a draft report. It is hoped to issue the draft report for consultation early in 2002 and to hold a further open meeting before the report is passed to the COT for their consideration. The FSA are aiming to publish the finalised report in early summer 2002. The minutes of working group meetings and other information concerning the group can be found through the FSA website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/committees/cot

Ministerial Engagements

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many ministerial engagements (a) were cancelled between 1 January and 31 May and (b) have been cancelled since 1 June.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 November 2001
	There is no record kept of cancelled engagements in DEFRA Minister's diaries. When engagements have had to be cancelled, wherever possible we try to re-instate them at a later date. All engagements are subject to ministerial and parliamentary business.

Flood Relief

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to spend some of the money for flood relief announced by the Deputy Prime Minister when he visited Upton on Severn on projects in Upton on Severn.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 29 November 2001
	This Department provides grants for flood and coastal defence capital works, and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score. Further to increases in spending plans in the last two spending reviews, additional funding of £51 million over the four years from 2000–01 was announced in November 2000 following the severe flooding last year. An increased priority was given to urban flood defences and the grant rates for all river flood defences were increased by 20 per cent.
	Operational responsibility for flood management measures rests with the local operating authorities, normally the Environment Agency and local councils, who decide which projects to promote and their timing. The operational authorities are invited to submit applications for DEFRA funding.
	In the last 12 months the Agency has installed water gauges to measure the obstructing effects of the redundant railway embankment to the west of Upton. It has invited every property at risk of flooding to be linked to it's telephone flood warning service and it participated in the recent Flood Fair to promote self help protection measures. Upton on Severn is also in the area covered by the Catchment Flood Management Plan being developed for the River Severn. The study is being financed by DEFRA and conclusions are expected by the middle of next year.

Pig Farmers

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce special movement pig licences for farmers in Devon.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 16 November 2001
	There are no such plans. However, the restrictions on pig movements in Devon were eased from 27 November when the county was granted FMD Free Status. Movements still require a licence from the local authority.

Livestock Movements (Departmental Website)

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what dates and at which times the autumn movement of livestock scheme website at www.fmdamll.defra.gov.uk/logon.asp has been unavailable; and if she will make a statement on the impact on applicants of the unavailability of the website.

Elliot Morley: The address quoted by the hon. Member is incorrect. Guidance on the Autumn Movement Licensing Scheme has been constantly available on the DEFRA website at www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/.

Agricultural Supply Industry

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support her Department has given to the agricultural supply industry following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: The Department has provided support to the agricultural supply industry following the foot and mouth disease outbreak through a number of initiatives. These include:
	Providing direct help to the wide range of small rural businesses that have been severely affected by FMD including help with rates, bills, tax, and national insurance.
	Setting up the FMD helpline and the Farm Business Recovery helpline.
	Regional seminars which provide national and regional advice on subjects such as diversification, grants, restocking and local initiatives.
	Farm Business Advice Service (FBAS) whose advisers will help farmers to make decisions about the future direction of their business. The service is funded by DEFRA and operated by the Small Business Service through Business Links.
	A 24 m extension to the Business Recovery Fund to help rural economies damaged by foot and mouth disease.

Research (GM Animals)

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many GM animals were being used in research at the latest date for which figures are available, broken down by species; and if he will make a statement on the efficiency rates of this technique.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The number of scientific procedures started in the last year for which figures are available, involving genetically modified animals and showing the species and the purposes for which they were used, is given in Table 3.3 of the publication "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain, 2000", a copy of which is in the Library. The number of animals used is close to the number of procedures, as animals are not normally re-used.
	Questions about the science involved are primarily for the Minister of Science and Innovation at the Department of Trade and Industry. However, I understand a range of techniques are used, depending on the required type of modification, to produce new lines of genetically modified animals. The efficiency of the techniques ranges broadly from 1 per cent. to 30 per cent. (that is, the number of successfully genetically modified offspring as a percentage of the number of germ cells or embryos manipulated).
	The offspring of established genetically modified lines are also reported in the Home Office/National Statistics annual publication mentioned. About 35 per cent. of such offspring are used in research programmes, the remainder being used for further breeding only.
	
		Table 3.3: Procedures using genetically modified animals in breeding procedures or research -- Great Britain 2000Number of procedures
		
			 Species of animal Generation of founder animals Maintenance of breeding colony Used for further non-regulated scientific purpose(7) Used in further regulated procedures Used in production and other procedures(8) Used in safety evaluation studies(9) Total 
		
		
			 Mouse 15,129 373,313 86,052 46,250 52,622 1,794 575,160 
			 Rat 433 1,153 155 987 659 — 3,387 
			 Other Rodent — — — — — — — 
			 Rabbit — 7 — 16 — — 23 
			 Cat — — — — — — — 
			 Dog — — — — — — — 
			 Ferret — — — — — — — 
			 Other Carnivore — — — — — — — 
			 Horse and other equids — — — — — — — 
			 Other Ungulates 321 1,064 — — 6 — 1,391 
			 New World monkey — — — — — — — 
			 Old World monkey — — — — — — — 
			 Other mammal — — — — — — — 
			 Bird 2 — — — — — 2 
			 Reptile/Amphibian 51 63 15 133 — — 262 
			 Fish — 1,367 — — 148 — 1,515 
			  
			 Total 15,936 376,967 86,222 47,386 53,435 1,794 581,740 
		
	
	(7) See Annex A of Appendix C
	(8) Includes production of various biological materials (codes B50-B56 in Appendix C); also includes procedures not concerned with production (code B79)
	(9) Reported using A codes in rows 10–12 (see Appendix C)

PRIME MINISTER

European Arrest Warrant

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received from (a) the European Criminal Bar Association of Defence Lawyers and (b) Fair Trials Abroad, concerning the European arrest warrant; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: As far as I am aware, I have not received any representations.
	It is the Government's intention to implement the European arrest warrant as part of the wider reform of extradition law by means of a Bill later in this parliamentary Session.

Security

Mike Hancock: To ask the Prime Minister what plans there are to create a Cabinet Minister for United Kingdom Security; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has responsibility for security, terrorism and civil emergencies.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money Coalition members have given to the Northern Alliance and its supporters since the beginning of the conflict in Afghanistan.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government cannot provide this information, under exemption 1(a) and (b) (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Israel

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with EU ministers concerning Israel's export to the EU of goods manufactured in Israeli settlements in the occupied territories; and what action has been taken by the EU.

Peter Hain: The issue was discussed at the 19 November General Affairs Council, in preparation for the EU-Israel Association Council on 20 November. At the Association Council, the EU underlined its interest in maintaining a strong trade partnership with Israel and its intention to find a sustainable solution to the rules of origin issue. The council noted its concern that Israel should comply with the territorial scope of the agreement.
	On 23 November the European Commission published a notice to importers in the EC Official Journal advising importers presenting documentary evidence of origin with a view to securing preferential treatment for products originating in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Gaza strip, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights to take all necessary precautions.

Euro

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 November 2001, Official Report, column 27W, on the Scottish Executive, if the Minister of State for Europe discussed the timing of a referendum on the euro with the former Education Minister in Scotland.

Peter Hain: No.

NATO Parliamentary Assembly

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the composition of the United Kingdom Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Ben Bradshaw: The following will represent the United Kingdom at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly:
	The right hon. Member for Swansea, East (Mr. Donald Anderson)
	The right hon. Member for North-East Hampshire (Mr. James Arbuthnot)
	The hon. Member for the City of York (Mr. Hugh Bayley)
	The right hon. Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Menzies Campbell CBE QC)
	The hon. Member for Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. Michael Clapham)
	The right hon. Lord Clark of Windermere
	The hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr. Harry Cohen)
	The hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Mike Gapes)
	The right hon. Member for Walsall, South (Mr. Bruce George)
	The Lord Gladwin of Clee CBE
	The hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Michael Hancock CBE)
	The right hon. Lord Jopling DL
	The hon. Member for Halifax (Alice Mahon)
	The hon. Member for East Hampshire (Mr. Michael Mates)
	The hon. Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. John Smith)
	The hon. Member for Dunfermline, West (Rachel Squire)
	The right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir John Stanley)
	The hon. Member for Gosport (Mr. Peter Viggers).

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan on the (a) creation and (b) restoration of churches in the north of the country.

Ben Bradshaw: We regularly discuss issues relating to religious freedom with the Sudanese Government both bilaterally and through the EU. EU Heads of Mission in Khartoum held a meeting on 5 November with the Sudanese Minister for Religious Affairs to discuss religious freedom. Our Ambassador chaired the meeting in his capacity as local EU Presidency. They specifically raised concerns about impediments to church-building.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's approach to peace in the Sudan, with particular reference to democratic consent in the south of the country.

Ben Bradshaw: The search for peace remains the focus of our policy towards Sudan. We continue to support the IGAD peace process, and, accordingly, the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Declaration of Principles, which includes the right of self-determination for southerners. We continue to promote democratic transformation. We regularly urge the Government of Sudan and other authorities to improve freedom of political association and assembly, and to remove legislation and end practices limiting other popular freedoms. This is also a core focus of the EU-Sudan dialogue, which the UK is currently chairing as local EU Presidency.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other African Governments on proposals to bring peace to the Sudan.

Ben Bradshaw: As members of the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Partners Forum, we regularly discuss Sudan with other African Governments, particularly Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria. Kenya has an important role to play in the Sudanese peace process because the IGAD Secretariat, which we have helped fund, is based in Nairobi. The Foreign Secretary has discussed Sudan with President Moi and our Embassy in Nairobi keeps in close contact with the Kenyan authorities.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Christian Solidarity on the subject of slavery and abduction in the Sudan.

Ben Bradshaw: We take the issue of abductions very seriously and are keen to work with any organisation that is dedicated to tackling the problem. FCO officials keep in touch with Christian Solidarity. They and our Embassy in Khartoum also work very closely with Save the Children (UK), who are involved in efforts to address the problem in Sudan, and we have given significant funding to them for their work with the Committee for the Eradication of Abduction of Women and Children (CEAWC). We have also provided funding through the EU to UNICEF. Our ambassador in Khartoum regularly urges the Sudanese Government to greater efforts, and encourages them to increase their support for the work of the CEAWC. We also raise the issue of abductions through the EU/Sudan dialogue.

European Bodies

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his position towards the establishment of conventions for joint information activities between (a) the European Commission, (b) its agencies and (c) his Department as proposed in Com (2001) 354.

Peter Hain: The Government welcome the Commission's initiative (Commission Communication Com (2001) 354) to improve the way in which information about the EU is provided to the citizen. The Communication makes sensible proposals (for example, better co-operation between the European Parliament and Commission offices in member states) and respects subsidiarity.
	It is right that the EU institutions should co-operate properly with each other to supply information on Europe, and that they should work, where appropriate, with member states. The Commission's proposal does not affect the Government's role in providing information on the European Union to United Kingdom citizens. Nor does the proposal create any new powers for the EU institutions.

European Security and Defence Policy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the outcome of the recent talks held with the Turkish Government in Ankara about the European Security and Defence Policy.

Ben Bradshaw: We, and the US, made considerable progress at the recent talks with the Turkish side in Ankara, clarifying the implementation of the Nice Conclusions on participation in ESDP by the six non-EU European Allies.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Contested Hearings

Peter Lilley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many either-way cases heard in magistrates courts have been contested in each year since 1987.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to respond to this question using information collected by the Crown Prosecution Service.
	CPS records show that the number of contested hearings in magistrates courts in either-way cases was as follows:
	
		
			 Year Numbers 
		
		
			 1991(10) 32,744 
			 1992 39,170 
			 1993 34,695 
			 1994 33,568 
			 1995 28,942 
			 1996 24,767 
			 1997 25,323 
			 1998 24,439 
			 1999 23,022 
			 2000 21,808 
			 2001(11) 15,432 
		
	
	(10) April-December only
	(11) January-September only
	Note:
	No comparable figures were collected before April 1991.

Contested Hearings

Peter Lilley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) wholly and (b) partly-contested cases there were, and how many acquittals there were in each case, for (i) magistrates courts and (ii) Crown courts in each year since 1987.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to respond to this question using information collected by the Crown Prosecution Service.
	The table shows the number of contested hearings in magistrates courts and in the Crown court. These are divided into two categories: hearings in which the defendant entered pleas of guilty to some charges while other charges proceeded to a contest, and hearings in which no guilty pleas were entered. The total number of contests is also shown.
	The table also gives both the number and the proportion of acquittals. These are again divided up into those where guilty pleas were entered to some charges, those where no guilty pleas were entered, and the total number of acquittals.
	No comparable figures were collected before April 1991.
	
		Contested hearings 1991–2001
		
			  1991(12) % 1992 % 1993 % 1994 % 1995 % 1996 % 
		
		
			 Magistrates courts 
			 Contests (some guilty pleas) 7,892 — 7,463 — 6,321 — 6,505 — 6,060 — 5,249 — 
			 of which acquitted 1,131 14.3 786 10.5 653 10.3 676 10.4 644 10.6 544 10.4 
			 Contests (no guilty pleas) 78,175 — 100,518 — 89,990 — 86,519 — 78,343 — 67,563 — 
			 of which acquitted 19,854 25.4 24,424 24.3 21,300 23.7 20,644 23.9 18,498 23.6 17,161 25.4 
			 Total contests 86,067 — 107,981 — 96,311 — 93,024 — 84,403 — 72,812 — 
			 Total acquittals 20,985 24.4 25,210 23.3 21,953 22.8 21,320 22.9 19,142 22.7 17,705 24.3 
			  
			 Crown court 
			 Contests (some guilty pleas) 1,829 — 2,471 — 2,169 — 2,071 — 2,139 — 2,036 — 
			 of which acquitted 639 34.9 756 30.6 700 32.3 651 31.4 585 27.3 488 24.0 
			 Contests (no guilty pleas) 13,559 — 18,350 — 17,771 — 16,538 — 19,165 — 18,346 — 
			 of which acquitted 6,459 47.6 8,471 46.2 7,920 44.6 7,409 44.8 8,014 41.8 7,709 42.0 
			 Total contests 15,388 — 20,821 — 19,940 — 18,609 — 21,304 — 20,382 — 
			 Total acquittals 7,098 46.1 9,227 44.3 8,620 43.2 8,060 43.3 8,599 40.4 8,197 40.2 
		
	
	
		
			  1997 % 1998 % 1999 % 2000 % 2001(13) % 
		
		
			 Magistrates courts   
			 Contests (some guilty pleas) 4,560 — 4,296 — 4,262 — 3,882 — 2,889 — 
			 of which acquitted 407 8.9 396 9.2 530 12.4 506 13.0 368 12.7 
			 Contests (no guilty pleas) 66,998 — 62,858 — 57,639 — 52,077 — 37,489 — 
			 of which acquitted 17,916 26.7 17,294 27.5 16,263 28.2 16,122 31.0 11,922 31.8 
			 Total contests 71,558 — 67,156 — 61,901 — 55,959 — 40,378 — 
			 Total acquittals 18,323 25.6 17,690 26.3 16,793 27.1 16,628 29.7 12,290 30.4 
			 Crown court   
			 Contests (some guilty pleas) 2,170 — 1,641 — 1,338 — 1,376 — 923 — 
			 of which acquitted 424 19.5 411 25.0 344 25.7 304 22.1 190 20.6 
			 Contests (no guilty pleas) 19,813 — 18,874 — 19,116 — 18,099 — 13,134 — 
			 of which acquitted 8,293 41.9 8,350 44.2 8,463 44.3 8,214 45.4 5,894 44.9 
			 Total contests 21,983 — 20,515 — 20,454 — 19,477 — 14,057 — 
			 Total acquittals 8,717 39.7 8,761 42.7 8,807 43.1 8,518 43.7 6,084 43.3 
		
	
	(12) April-December
	(13) January-September

Contingency Fees

John Burnett: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment she has made of contingent fees; and what plans she has for their introduction.

Rosie Winterton: None. Contingency fees are already used in many tribunals and for non-contentious business. The Government have no plans to extend their use.

Community Legal Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much funding the Community Legal Service has received in each year it has been in existence; and what (a) amount and (b) percentage of this has been given directly to advice-providing organisations in the form of grants to help them improve and develop their services.

Rosie Winterton: In 2000–01, £810 million was made available to the Legal Services Commission to fund the Community Legal Service (CLS). In that year £1.5 million, or 0.2 per cent., was given directly to a range of organisations in the form of grants.
	In 2001–02, £708 million has been made available to fund the CLS, of which approximately £3.94 million, or 0.6 per cent., has been committed to projects in grant funding.
	On 8 May 2001 the Partnership Innovation Budget was set up with a budget of £15 million over three years (0.7 per cent. of total expected funding of £2,105 million). Bids were invited for initiatives intended to improve the delivery of legal services in innovative ways, and the first set of grant awards was announced in September 2001. To date, over £12 million in grants has been committed.

Court Buildings (Wales)

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to improve court buildings in Wales.

Michael Wills: The Lord Chancellor's Department is exploring a number of opportunities to improve facilities within Wales. To provide new and refurbished courts, we are examining both Private Finance Initiatives (PFI), as well as evaluating the potential for shared or joint ventures.
	The Gwent PFI project is already well advanced, covering the Newport, Blackwood and Caerphilly areas, and subject to the inclusion of additional magistrates courts or Court Service properties, the new or refurbished courts are planned to become operational during 2005.
	We are also exploring the prospect of joining an existing police PFI project in North Wales. Negotiations are still at an early stage but it is intended that the project should incorporate existing properties in Bangor and Caernarfon.
	In addition, the Lord Chancellor's Department continues to fund a significant programme of maintenance and refurbishment work, via both the Court Service and local authorities, on the existing estate.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Ethnic Community Religious Groups

Tom Cox: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent discussions he has had with the Church Commissioners on providing funding to ethnic community religious groups.

Stuart Bell: In 2000 the Commissioners made available £160 million to support the work of the Church of England, particularly in areas of need and opportunity. Within the Church of England there are many parishes with ethnic community religious groups that the Church seeks to serve.

HEALTH

Teenage Pregnancy

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy will publish its first annual report.

Jacqui Smith: The Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy has published its first annual report today.
	This is a very comprehensive report and we commend the Advisory Group for the valuable work it has undertaken since it was formed. We welcome the Advisory Group's acknowledgement of the significant progress made to date across Government on implementing our Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. We recognise that, as with all long-term strategies, we must sustain our action and commitment if we are to achieve the strategy's goals. The report contains 49 specific recommendations on potential areas for further action and we will give these our full and careful consideration. We will aim to publish a detailed response to the report by next spring.

HIV (Health Care Workers)

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the outcome of the review of policy on patient notification exercises relating to HIV-infected health care workers.

Jacqui Smith: We have recently accepted advice from the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS (EAGA) and the United Kingdom Advisory Panel for Health Care Workers Infected with Blood-borne Viruses (UKAP). They advise that it is no longer necessary to notify every single patient who has undergone an exposure prone procedure 1 by an HIV infected health care worker because of the low risk of transmission and the anxiety caused to large numbers of patients.
	In future, the need for and extent of a patient notification exercise will depend on the level of risk exposure. This may mean that in some instances there is no patient notification exercise, or it is limited in its scope. Until now, all patients who have undergone exposure prone procedures have been notified regardless of their level of risk. EAGA and UKAP are in the process of developing these criteria and we will be issuing operational guidance to the national health service in the new year.
	1 Exposure prone procedures are those where there is a risk that injury to the health care worker could result in their blood contaminating a patient's open tissues. Exposure prone procedures, in general terms, include most surgery, gynaecology and obstetrics, dentistry, and some aspects of midwifery and specialist nursing.

General Medical Council (Disqualifications)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to introduce a ban from registration with the GMC of (a) GPs and (b) consultants who have been banned from practising in (i) EU, (ii) Commonwealth and (iii) other countries.

John Hutton: We are discussing with the General Medical Council extending the matters that can be considered under its registration and its fitness to practise procedures to include disqualifying decisions by authorities abroad. There is already provision covering doctors from the European Economic Area.

NHS Pension Scheme

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the approved AVC providers under the NHS pension scheme; how many outstanding AVC contracts there are with these providers; when these AVC providers were first selected and when that selection was reviewed; and what was the source of the professional advice as to that selection and renewal.

John Hutton: The authorised AVC providers for the national health service pension scheme in England and Wales are Equitable Life Assurance Society, Clerical Medical Investment Group Limited, Standard Life Assurance Society and the Prudential.
	Equitable Life was appointed as the first, sole provider from 15 February 1991. The society was reappointed from 6 April 1998 for a further five years. On both occasions, the appointment followed a competitive tender with the Department. National health service employers and staff interests were represented on the selection panel. The Government Actuary's Department provided professional actuarial advice.
	In March 2001, when Halifax plc purchased Equitable Life's operations, the range of AVC investment funds was extended by agreement to include seven from Clerical Medical, a Halifax Group subsidiary.
	I understand that there are about 38,000 national health service contracts with Equitable Life and around 2,000 with Clerical Medical.
	From 8 October 2001, following a further tendering exercise managed and endorsed by independent advising actuaries Bacon and Woodrow, Standard Life and the Prudential were added to the list of authorised providers. No contracts are yet operational.

Hospital Performance

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of (a) a Commission for Health Improvement report and (b) the star-ratings as indicators of a hospital's performance.

John Hutton: The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) is an executive non-departmental public body which, among other things, reviews arrangements by national health service trusts for monitoring and improving the quality of health care for which they have responsibility.
	The Department's NHS performance ratings, represent a high level summary of the overall performance of non-specialist acute NHS hospital trusts against a number of key targets and indicators with a particular staff, patient and clinical focus. The performance ratings concentrate primarily on the management of NHS trusts rather than the quality of care.
	We are confident that the assessment made in both cases is robust, fair and complementary. The CHI looked at the performance ratings for those organisations it had already reviewed and confirmed that they provide a fair assessment based on the available data.

NHS Trusts

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total annual (a) surplus and (b) deficit for each NHS trust in England in each year since 1997 for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

NHS Trusts

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he gives to NHS trusts on ordering their priorities between waiting (a) lists and (b) times.

John Hutton: In meeting both waiting list and times targets, the national health service has been advised that above all patients' clinical need and priority must come first. In July 1997, an executive letter (EL (97) 42) was issued to the NHS about access to secondary care services. It stated that:
	"Clinical priority must be the main determinant of when patients are seen as outpatients or admitted as inpatients."
	Since then, a significant amount of guidance from the Department has been given to the NHS on managing waiting lists and times targets. "Getting Patients Treated—The Waiting List Action Team Handbook" was issued to all NHS trust chief executives in August 1999 and provides detailed advice on how to monitor inpatient and outpatient waiting lists to ensure patients are treated in the right order.
	Two reports specific to managing outpatient waiting lists were published jointly by the Department of Health and the NHS Modernisation Agency in November 1999 and July 2000 entitled "Variations in NHS Outpatient Performance". These reports contain practical actions that hospitals can take to reduce the time patients wait to see a consultant and to modernise outpatient services for the convenience of patients. Every hospital was instructed to take the actions set out in the reports.
	In February 2000, a toolkit for primary care groups was also issued by the NHS executive entitled "Tackling Waiting Lists Together". This guidance was aimed at general practitioner practices and primary care groups to advise them on the causes of waiting list problems and how to address them.
	More recently, the NHS was instructed to use guidance drawn up by the NHS Modernisation Agency called the "Primary Targeting Lists Approach" to assist them in treating patients within the shorter maximum waiting times targets for 2001–02. The guidance gives NHS organisations the practical advice to treat patients in the right order within the maximum waiting times targets.
	In addition, the chief executive and chief operating officer of the Department have written to chief executives of NHS organisations on a number of occasions re-emphasising the importance of delivery and the actions they should be taking to achieve them.
	The guidance can be found at the following websites:
	
		
			 Name of guidance issued Website address 
		
		
			 Executive letter 1997—42 www.doh.gov.uk/publications/coinh.html 
			 Getting Patients Treated—The Waiting List Action Team Handbook www.doh.gov.uk/wtactionteam.htm 
			 Variations in NHS Outpatient Performance www.doh.gov.uk/pspp 
			 Tackling Waiting Lists Together www.mfps.co.uk/toolkit.htm 
			 Primary Targeting Lists Approach www.modernnhs.nhs.uk/npat/documents/

NHS Trusts

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the performance of NHS trusts in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 in meeting their responsibility to absorb the cost of capital at a rate of 6 per cent. of average relevant net assets.

John Hutton: The provisional annual accounts for national health service trusts in 2000–01 show 247 NHS trusts met the 6 per cent. capital absorption duty. However, exclusion of shortfalls deemed immaterial (that is less than 0.5 per cent.) increases this figure to 339.
	Information for 2001–02 will not be available until the NHS trust audited annual accounts are received in autumn of 2002.

Oldchurch Hospital (A and E)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for an A and E patient to see a doctor at Oldchurch hospital in Romford; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Oldchurch Hospital (A and E)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve waiting times for patients waiting to see a doctor in the A and E department of Oldchurch hospital in Romford.

John Hutton: We are committed to resolving the issue of waits in accident and emergency and the NHS plan includes clear objectives for reducing inappropriate waits. By 2004, no patient will wait more than a total of four hours in accident and emergency from time of arrival to admission, transfer or discharge, with the average waiting time reduced to 75 minutes.
	Oldchurch hospital, part of Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals national health service trust, has already received £868,000 from the accident and emergency modernisation fund. The trust will also receive a share of the additional £100 million announced last month to support the recently published reforming emergency care strategy.
	Furthermore, efficiency within the accident and emergency department at Oldchurch hospital will be boosted by the additional £300 million announced in October to tackle nationally the persistent problem of bed blocking. Of the £100 million allocated so far, local authorities in the area have received just over £1 million.
	The trust will also be supported by the London modernisation board access taskforce to tackle the issue of meeting four-hour trolley waits as a priority.

Respiratory Disease

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce a national service framework for respiratory disease; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 14 November 2001
	There are currently no plans to introduce a national service framework for respiratory disease. The NSF for older people recognised the importance of respiratory diseases to the health and well-being of older people. The NSF provides for a 10-year developing framework for action across health and social care and within this set arthritis and respiratory disease in older people as the next priorities for future work. The focus of this will be older people, but, much like the current NSF service models on stroke and dementia, such a service model will have implications for, and apply to, all who need these services, regardless of their age.
	There is a range of Government initiatives already in place which take a preventive approach to respiratory disease and have long-term objectives to improve treatment and care. These include the investment of £53 million in smoking cessation services—smoking is the major cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—and asking the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to prepare clinical guidelines for the national health service for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer and the management and treatment of COPD.

Capital Projects

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for major capital projects over £50 million in his Department, at what discount rate the value for money test would recommend that (a) a publicly funded project became a PFI scheme and (b) a PFI project became publicly funded.

John Hutton: The decision on whether a capital investment project should test for private finance in the first place is taken early in the process, at the outline business case stage. Decisions will be based on the nature and complexity of the project, which in turn impact upon value for money factors such as the number and capability of bidders likely to be interested and the past track record of similar projects with regard to private finance initiative. Being a set constant the discount rate is not a relevant factor and is therefore not considered.
	A single discount rate for all Government Departments is set by Her Majesty's Treasury. National health service trusts are therefore not required to apply different discount rates as part of their sensitivity tests in the full business case on assessing at what point a PFI option does not demonstrate value for money when compared to the public sector comparator.
	It is not possible to set rates that would determine a switching value ahead of the priced bid as the exact rate will be determined by the rate of spend, exact timings of the cash flows, length of contract period and interest rates applicable at the time contracts are signed. As a general rule, compared to the current 6 per cent. rate, an increase makes revenue payments more attractive, a lower rate favours up-front capital investment.

Hospital Beds

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what changes have been made to the designations of hospital beds since 1 May 1997;
	(2)  changes have been made to the methods of counting bed numbers since 1 May 1997.

John Hutton: No changes have been made to the methods of counting the published average bed numbers since 1 May 1997. A new twice-yearly census was introduced in March 1999 to improve the availability of information on critical care. In addition, a special census of beds to inform progress on implementing capacity plans for winter was taken on 1 December 2000.
	Information on numbers of beds is collected by broad ward designation not by individual bed designation. No changes have been made to the ward designation since May 1997. Additional categories, such as intermediate care, are being introduced to reflect changes to the way services are delivered.

Patient Lists

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he gives to (a) dentists and (b) general practitioners on removing from their lists patients who have not attended for a period of time; and what plans he has to review this guidance.

John Hutton: The Department does not issue guidance to general dental practitioners on removing patients. Under current regulations, dentists' terms of service provide that a continuing care arrangement or a capitation arrangement shall lapse at the end of the 16th month beginning with the month in which the patient was first accepted by the dentists or the arrangement was last extended. Continuing care arrangements apply to patients who are 18 years of age or older; capitation arrangements to patients who are under 18. A continuing care or capitation arrangement is extended when a patient attends the dentist for treatment or for a check-up.
	The Department does not issue guidance to general practitioners on removing patients who have not attended their practice for a period of time. However, GPs' terms of service require them to invite patients for a consultation where they have not been seen for a period of three years.

Epilepsy

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about Government support for research into (a) child and (b) adult epilepsy.

Jacqui Smith: The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC has a large portfolio of research into epilepsy, out of a total spend of approximately £24 million on neurological diseases. The MRC always welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of human health and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health.
	The Department funds research to support policy and delivery of effective practice in the national health service. Research on the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of new drugs for epilepsy in adult and children is currently being supported through the health technology assessment programme. Research includes a randomised controlled trial of longer-term clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of standard and new anti-epileptic drugs, at an overall cost of £1.3 million, together with reviews of existing research on behalf of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
	In addition to specific projects, the Department also provides support for research commissioned by charities and the Medical Research Council that take place in the NHS.
	Project details of work directly funded by the Department or supported through the NHS research and development budget can be found on the National Research Register (NRR). This is available in the Library and most medical libraries on CD-Rom, and on the internet: http://www.doh/gov.uk/research/nrr.htm. The NRR contains details of projects/trials relating to child and adult epilepsy.

Welfare Foods Scheme

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will announce the funding for the welfare foods scheme for 2002.

Jacqui Smith: The welfare foods scheme is demand- led. For 2002–03, funding will be sufficient to reach demand.

Diabetes

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the national service framework for diabetes; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Ms King) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 1046W.

GPs (Computers)

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the proportion of general practitioners using a computer as part of their daily work.

John Hutton: 98 per cent. of general practitioners have access to clinical computer systems in their practices and 95 per cent. have this available at their own desks.
	As a result of project connect more than 95 per cent. of GP practices have access to NHSnet, the Internet and email.

Prostate Cancer

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps are being taken to promote awareness of prostate cancer nationally; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what percentage of men (a) in England, (b) in the north-east region and (c) in the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency have been checked for prostate cancer in the last 12 months.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 19 November 2001
	The national health service prostate cancer programme was launched on 6 September 2000. The programme covers research, treatment and a risk management programme specifically around improving early detection and diagnosis. One element of the risk management programme is the informed choice project aimed at raising awareness among men about prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing. This education project is developing materials for patients, the public and professionals which can be given to any man requesting a PSA test, to help him make an informed choice about whether to proceed with the test or not.
	Information on what percentage of men have been checked for prostate cancer is not collected.

Personal Social Services Grants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the change in the level of local authority personal social services grants from 2001–02 to 2002–03.

Jacqui Smith: The level of personal social services grants that will be available to local authorities in 2002–03 will be announced as part of the local government finance settlement.

Hospital Providers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to draw up a list of approved hospital providers in the EU.

John Hutton: The Department will begin a tender exercise to establish a list of approved providers in the new year, drawing on the experience of the three test-bed sites in the south-east of England which are currently working to send national health service patients overseas. This tender exercise will of necessity take several months.

Hospital Providers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Commission for Health Improvement will assist him in drawing up a list of approved hospital providers in the EU.

John Hutton: We are considering how the Commission for Health Improvement could best assist in this process.
	The commission's involvement will be planned within the context of the commission's overall priorities in relation to helping to improve the quality of care to all national health service patients.

Hospital Providers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with which hospital providers he has (a) had meetings and (b) corresponded in (i) Austria, (ii) Belgium, (iii) France, (iv) Greece, (v) the Netherlands, (vi) Germany, (vii) Portugal, (viii) Spain and (ix) Norway.

John Hutton: Officials and members of the three test-bed sites working to send national health service patients overseas have had meetings with several providers based in Germany and a provider based in Greece.
	In addition, officials have corresponded with a large number of hospital providers. Details will be placed in the Library shortly.

Treatment Abroad

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he notified the European Commission of his decision to amend domestic legislation to clarify that health authorities and trusts may commission treatment from other member states of the EEA.

John Hutton: Following my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's public statement on 27 August, my noble Friend Lord Hunt of Kings Heath wrote to European Commissioners Byrne, Bokelstein and Diamontopolou on 4 September 2001.

Golden Hello Scheme (GPs)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was discharged to general practice under the Golden Hello scheme up to and including 16 November.

John Hutton: We concluded consultation with the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association on the detail of the scheme on 1 November and issued guidance to health authorities and primary care trusts the following day.
	Entitlement is backdated to 1 April 2001 so that any general practitioner who has taken up an eligible post on or after that date qualifies for a payment.
	Most payments are being made by health authorities from the national general medical services non-cash- limited budget and the next quarterly monitoring data on that budget are not due until January. We expect, however, expenditure on this new scheme to exceed £10 million this year.

Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have waited for more than one year for (a) in-patient and (b) out-patient treatment at the Good Hope hospital, Sutton Coldfield, in each month in each of the last five years.

John Hutton: The national health service does not collect information on the number of out-patients waiting over one year. The NHS however does collect routinely the number of outpatients waiting over 26 weeks (six months).
	In-patient monthly data have only been collected since April 1998. Prior to this they were only available quarterly. Out-patient data have not been collected on a monthly basis, being only available by trust quarterly.
	
		In-patient and out-patient data for Good Hope hospital national health service trust
		
			 Month Number of in-patient over 12 month waiters Number of out-patient over 26 week waiters 
		
		
			 1996   
			 September 0 n/a 
			 December 0 202 
			
			 1997   
			 March 5 18 
			 June 5 42 
			 September 70 47 
			 December 180 127 
			
			 1998   
			 March 201 145 
			 April 97 n/a 
			 May n/a n/a 
			 June 92 120 
			 July 100 n/a 
			 August 76 n/a 
			 September 69 126 
			 October 90 n/a 
			 November 99 n/a 
			 December 130 98 
			 1999   
			 January 154 n/a 
			 February 150 n/a 
			 March 139 107 
			 June 163 n/a 
			 April 206 n/a 
			 May 198 177 
			 July 211 n/a 
			 August 200 n/a 
			 September 215 185 
			 October 202 n/a 
			 November 210 n/a 
			 December 263 186 
			
			 2000   
			 January 266 n/a 
			 February 191 n/a 
			 March 172 36 
			 April 169 n/a 
			 May 164 n/a 
			 June 168 77 
			 July 160 n/a 
			 August 140 n/a 
			 September 117 121 
			 October 119 n/a 
			 November 112 n/a 
			 December 132 120 
			
			 2001   
			 January 188 n/a 
			 February 213 n/a 
			 March 190 143 
			 April 203 n/a 
			 May 165 n/a 
			 June 181 213 
			 July 213 n/a 
			 August 202 n/a 
			 September 152 135 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data on the number of out-patients waiting over 12 months are not collected
	2. Out-patient data shown are number of patients still waiting for a first out-patient appointment following GP referral who have waited over 26 weeks (six months)
	Source:
	KH07, QM08 quarterly returns, monthly waiting times returns—Department of Health

Hillingdon Local Modernisation Review

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2001, Official Report, column 112W, when he expects the Hillingdon local modernisation review to publish its conclusions.

John Hutton: Reports on phase 2 of the local modernisation review are due to be shared with the Department by 30 November 2001. We expect to see detail of the key actions from local modernisation reviews in the health improvement and modernisation plans that all health authorities are required to publish in spring 2002.

Randomised Controlled Trials

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to restrict treatments available in the NHS which have not been subjected to randomised controlled trials.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 22 November 2001
	We have no such plans.

Cutlass Review

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of the Cutlass review.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 22 November 2001
	The Cutlass review is a project of the national health service health technology assessment (HTA) programme. This programme's outputs are published in the HTA monograph series, provided they pass a rigorous scientific assessment and editorial process including external peer review. The HTA monograph series is available on the internet at no charge.

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investment has been made in each health authority area in respect of (a) the mental health national service framework and (b) the mental health aspects of the NHS plan.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 22 November 2001
	Details of total investment in mental health by health authority are not available. As part of the self-assessment programme, this year local implementation teams will be completing a finance mapping exercise, the details of which will be in the public domain next year. This exercise will create a baseline from which investment in future years can be monitored.
	In 2002–03 an extra £75 million revenue will be allocated to health authorities; this allocation will be earmarked for mental health services to implement actions outlined in the NHS plan. By 2004, the money will have been used to improve a range of services including assertive outreach teams, crisis resolution teams and early intervention teams.

Parliamentary Questions

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the question of 1 November on respiratory disease (UIN: 12691) from the hon. Member for Cardiff, West.

Jacqui Smith: I replied to my hon. Friend today, Official Report, columns 1192–93W.

Parliamentary Questions

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the question of the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside, of 12 November on the future of cleft lip and palate services for the north-west region.

Jacqui Smith: I replied to my hon. Friend on 28 November 2001, Official Report, column 976W.

Parliamentary Questions

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the question tabled by the hon. Member for Taunton on 17 July (ref: 5667) on STI-571.

Hazel Blears: I wrote to the hon. Member on 4 October.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Online Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of his and other Government Department's progress in meeting the Government's targets for providing services online.

Christopher Leslie: Delivery is at the heart of our agenda for transforming public services, and e-government is one of the most powerful catalysts we have for achieving that transformation. The Office of the e-Envoy produces both an annual report and regular monthly reports giving details of the progress that is being made. The next annual report will be published shortly. The latest figures on progress towards the target of making Government services available electronically by 2005 show that over 50 per cent. of Government services are e-enabled now. Departments predict that 74 per cent. of services will be e-enabled by the end of 2002.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Schools Budgets

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which categories of expenditure she proposes shall count as (a) schools budget, (b) individual schools budget and (c) local education authority budget for the purposes of implementing the Education Bill; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The exact scope of these budgets will be defined in due course in Regulations, after further consultations. Broadly, however, we expect the schools budget to cover all expenditure for which funding is generally delegated to schools at present, along with most other expenditure relating to the cost of provision for pupils (including expenditure on school meals and out-of-school education, and most expenditure on special educational needs apart from costs relating to the carrying out of statutory assessments and the making of statements). The great majority of the schools budget will have to be delegated to individual schools through the individual schools budget, although LEAs will need to retain funding within the school budget for certain purposes, including out-of-school education and some aspects of special educational needs provision. We expect the schools forum to play a role in determining whether funding for some specified items should be delegated or centrally retained.
	The LEA budget will cover those functions which cannot appropriately be carried out except at the level of the LEA. These are likely to include most functions for which funding is currently retained centrally by LEAs under the heads of Strategic Management, School Improvement and Access to Education (including home-to-school transport). The LEA budget will also include expenditure on LEA functions which do not relate to primary and secondary education.

Schools Budgets

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if she will list the aggregate for England of (a) local education authority budgets for education, (b) their local schools budgets, (c) their individual schools budgets and (d) (c) as a percentage of (b), for each year since the implementation of section 46 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998;
	(2)  if she will list the aggregate for England of (a) local education authority general schools budgets, (b) their potential schools budgets, (c) their aggregate schools budgets, (d) (c) as a percentage of (b) and (e) (c) as a percentage of (a), for each year from 1996 until the implementation of section 46 of the School Standards and Framework Act.

Stephen Timms: The information is as follows:
	
		England£ million 
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 
		
		
			 (a) GSB 16,437 16,711 17,549 
			 (b) PSB 13,435 13,718 14,309 
			 (c) ASB 12,157 12,438 12,966 
			 (d) ASB as percentage of PSB 90.5 90.7 90.6 
			 (e) ASB as percentage of GSB 74.0 74.4 73.9 
		
	
	
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Total education revenue expenditure 21,290 21,705 23,418 
			 LSB 19,508 20,615 22,292 
			 ISB 15,760 16,845 18,446 
			 ISB as percentage of LSB 80.8 81.7 82.7

School Buildings

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information is available from asset management plans on school building condition needs.

Stephen Timms: Today we are publishing information on school condition needs, based on data supplied earlier this year by local education authorities from their asset management plans. At current price levels, these plans indicate that nearly £7 billion is needed for capital works fully to maintain and repair school buildings. This is a significant level of need that has been recognised by the Government in their huge investment programme to improve school building accommodation. A total of £7.5 billion has already been made available for investment in school buildings since 1997, and a further £6.3 billion is planned over the next two financial years—the highest investment levels for 50 years. In 2003–04, funding from central Government for capital investment in schools will reach £3.5 billion, compared with only £683 million in 1996–97.
	By successfully introducing asset management plans, this Government have provided LEAs with a rigorous framework for identifying and prioritising accommodation needs across schools. This has highlighted the size of the problem we inherited in 1997, resulting from nearly two decades of under-investment in school buildings.
	A copy of the publication has today been placed in the Library.

Secondary Schools

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on progress towards the introduction of the literacy and numeracy hours into secondary school curriculum; and how this can be achieved without reduction of time for national curriculum subjects.

Stephen Timms: The Key Stage 3 strategy for raising standards for 11 to 14-year-olds does not advocate literacy or numeracy hours. The strategy will help schools improve teaching and learning in all subjects, with an emphasis on the core subjects of the national curriculum.

Head Teachers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions she has had with representatives of head teachers' organisations.

Stephen Timms: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets representatives of the head teacher associations from time to time to discuss a range of issues. Recently, she met them with other unions on 2 July and 4 September 2001. The Secretary of State also had a meeting with the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) on 30 October.

Head Teachers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on how performance-related pay will affect the salaries of head teachers.

Stephen Timms: School governing bodies must review their head teachers' pay each year, and may award them a point on their individual pay range if they have shown a sustained high quality of performance taking account of agreed performance objectives. Since September 2000, the award of performance pay points has been supported by special grants. The Government are consulting on the mechanism for payment of a new special grant to take effect from April 2002.

Homework Clubs

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in the promotion of homework clubs in schools; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: We are committed to providing opportunities for young people to enrich their learning through out-of-school-hours activities. "Extending Opportunity: a national framework for study support", published in 1998, set out the contribution homework clubs can make to a school's wider programme of out-of- school-hours learning activities.
	We also published Homework Guidelines, which require school homework policies to refer to any opportunities that exist for pupils to do homework, under supervision, at places other than home. In addition to school homework clubs, these may also include libraries and community centres. The homework area on the Department's Standards website supplements the guidelines with examples of good practice and case studies which teachers, governors, parents and pupils can access.

Admissions Forums

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the estimated cost is of setting up admissions forums under the Education Bill.

Stephen Timms: The School Admissions Code of Practice recommended that LEAs set up local Admissions Forums as a vehicle for consultation and discussion of issues arising from proposed admission arrangements. The majority have already done so. LEAs currently have considerable costs associated with difficult admission issues and the benefits gained from resolving these matters more quickly make the setting up of forums, where they don't already exist, broadly cost neutral.

TNC Credit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost is to public funds of the implementation of the TNC Credit (New Category of Provider) Regulations 1999.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	It is not possible to produce an accurate estimate.

Instructors

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time instructors were employed in (i) primary, (ii) secondary and (iii) special schools in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: Instructors and other teachers without Qualified Teacher Status in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England, 1998 to 2001 by full-time/part-time and phase were as follows.
	
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001(14),(15)  
		
		
			 Full-time 
			 Nursery and primary 530 610 750 1,340 
			 Secondary 780 1,000 1,070 1,560 
			 Special 100 140 130 210 
			  
			 FTE of part-time 
			 Nursery and primary 370 400 430 410 
			 Secondary 800 850 760 730 
			 Special 30 50 40 40 
		
	
	(14) Totals may not appear to equal the sum of their component parts due to rounding; all figures have been rounded to the nearest 10
	(15) Table excludes teachers on routes to Qualified Teacher Status: the Graduate Teacher Programme, Registered Teacher Programme, Licensed teacher scheme and Overseas Trained Teacher scheme
	When deciding whether to employ an instructor without QTS, head teachers take into account the fact that they can often bring valuable skills and experience to the classroom, particularly in subjects that have a high practical content. Instructors also include teachers with qualifications obtained overseas who are not currently seeking QTS.
	Between January 1998 and January 2001 the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers in the maintained schools sector with Qualified Teacher Status rose from 394,400 to 404,500, an increase of 10,100.

Free School Dinners

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will rank local education authorities according to the percentage fall in the proportion of children attending day schools who are eligible for free school dinners between 1991 and 2000; and what figures are available for 2001.

Stephen Timms: The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		Local education authorities ranked according to the percentage fall in the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools
		
			 January 1993 January 2000  
			 LEA name pre-LGR Proportion of pupils(16) known to be eligible for free school meals   Equivalent region post-LGR  Proportion of pupils(16) known to be eligible for free school meals Change in proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals % change in proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 North Yorkshire pre-LGR 19.5 North Yorkshire post-LGR 9.1 -10.4 -53.4 
			  n/a North Yorkshire 8.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a York 11.0 n/a n/a 
			 Leicestershire pre-LGR 18.8 Leicester post LGR 13.0 -5.9 -31.2 
			  n/a Leicestershire 7.9 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Leicester 23.6 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Rutland 5.4 n/a n/a 
			 City of London 53.3 City of London 35.9 -17.4 -32.6 
			 Gloucestershire 13.7 Gloucestershire 9.5 -4.2 -30.9 
			 Walsall 27.1 Walsall 19.1 -8.0 -29.6 
			 Wiltshire pre-LGR 13.5 Wiltshire post-LGR 9.6 -3.9 -28.9 
			  n/a Wiltshire 8.2 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Swindon 12.5 n/a n/a 
			 Avon pre-LGR 19.4 Avon post-LGR 14.1 -5.3 -27.5 
			  n/a Bath and North East Somerset 10.3 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Bristol, City of 22.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a North Somerset 9.8 n/a n/a 
			  n/a South Gloucestershire 8.4 n/a n/a 
			 West Sussex 11.6 West Sussex 8.6 -3.0 -26.0 
			 Coventry 26.2 Coventry 19.6 -6.6 -25.2 
			 Sheffield 29.3 Sheffield 22.5 -6.7 -23.0 
			 Doncaster 26.6 Doncaster 20.9 -5.7 -21.3 
			 Cornwall 17.2 Cornwall 13.6 -3.6 -20.9 
			 Warwickshire 11.9 Warwickshire 9.6 -2.3 -19.2 
			 Wolverhampton 26.9 Wolverhampton 21.8 -5.1 -19.1 
			 Hertfordshire 11.2 Hertfordshire 9.1 -2.1 -18.8 
			 Hampshire pre-LGR 13.7 Hampshire post-LGR 11.3 -2.4 -17.8 
			  n/a Hampshire 8.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Portsmouth 17.6 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Southampton 21.8 n/a n/a 
			 Lancashire pre-LGR 22.7 Lancashire post-LGR 18.9 -3.8 -16.9 
			  n/a Lancashire 16.9 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Blackburn with Darwen 27.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Blackpool 25.3 n/a n/a 
			 Bolton 21.2 Bolton 17.7 -3.6 -16.8 
			 Hackney 52.4 Hackney 44.1 -8.3 -15.8 
			 Dorset pre-LGR 9.4 Dorset post-LGR 8.0 -1.5 -15.7 
			  n/a Dorset 6.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Poole 8.4 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Bournemouth 11.1 n/a n/a 
			 Berkshire pre-LGR 10.5 Berkshire post-LGR 8.9 -1.6 -15.7 
			  n/a Bracknell Forest 6.8 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Windsor and Maidenhead 6.6 n/a n/a 
			  n/a West Berkshire 6.2 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Reading 14.2 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Slough 16.6 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Wokingham 4.4 n/a n/a 
			 Devon pre-LGR 17.0 Devon post-LGR 14.4 -2.5 -15.0 
			  n/a Devon 11.4 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Plymouth 19.2 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Torbay 19.1 n/a n/a 
			 Kent pre-LGR 14.8 Kent post-LGR 12.8 -2.1 -14.1 
			  n/a Kent 12.7 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Medway 12.9 n/a n/a 
			 Northumberland 15.6 Northumberland 13.5 -2.2 -13.8 
			 Oxfordshire 11.0 Oxfordshire 9.5 -1.5 -13.5 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 35.6 Newcastle upon Tyne 31.1 -4.5 -12.5 
			 Wigan 19.3 Wigan 16.9 -2.4 -12.5 
			 Norfolk 15.7 Norfolk 13.8 -1.9 -12.1 
			 Islington 50.3 Islington 44.2 -6.0 -12.0 
			 Cambridge pre-LGR 14.5 Cambridge post-LGR 12.8 -1.7 -11.8 
			  n/a Cambridgeshire 9.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Peterborough 21.4 n/a n/a 
			 Gateshead 27.6 Gateshead 24.4 -3.2 -11.6 
			 Bedfordshire pre-LGR 17.4 Bedfordshire post-LGR 15.4 -2.0 -11.3 
			  n/a Bedfordshire 11.2 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Luton 23.7 n/a n/a 
			 Knowsley 48.4 Knowsley 43.0 -5.4 -11.2 
			 East Sussex pre-LGR 18.8 East Sussex post-LGR 16.7 -2.1 -11.2 
			  n/a East Sussex 14.8 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Brighton and Hove 20.7 n/a n/a 
			 Bradford 29.1 Bradford 25.9 -3.3 -11.2 
			 Surrey 8.8 Surrey 7.8 -1.0 -11.2 
			 Calderdale 19.4 Calderdale 17.3 -2.2 -11.2 
			 Lincolnshire 8.7 Lincolnshire 7.8 -0.9 -10.1 
			 Wandsworth 32.9 Wandsworth 29.7 -3.3 -10.0 
			 Stockport 15.9 Stockport 14.3 -1.6 -10.0 
			 Isle of Wight 21.3 Isle of Wight 19.2 -2.1 -9.9 
			 South Tyneside 31.2 South Tyneside 28.2 -3.1 -9.8 
			 Essex pre-LGR 14.5 Essex post-LGR 13.1 -1.4 -9.6 
			  n/a Essex 12.0 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Southend-on-Sea 18.3 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Thurrock 16.9 n/a n/a 
			 Waltham Forest 31.5 Waltham Forest 28.5 -3.0 -9.4 
			 Solihull 13.9 Solihull 12.6 -1.3 -9.3 
			 Lambeth 45.2 Lambeth 41.1 -4.1 -9.1 
			 Nottinghamshire pre-LGR 21.3 Nottinghamshire post-LGR 19.6 -1.7 -8.2 
			  n/a Nottinghamshire 14.3 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Nottingham 34.8 n/a n/a 
			 Durham pre-LGR 21.0 Durham post-LGR 19.3 -1.7 -8.0 
			  n/a Durham 19.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Darlington 18.3 n/a n/a 
			 Shropshire pre-LGR 15.4 Shropshire post-LGR 14.3 -1.2 -7.6 
			  n/a Shropshire 9.7 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Telford and Wrekin 21.3 n/a n/a 
			 Derbyshire pre-LGR 15.8 Derbyshire post-LGR 14.6 -1.2 -7.5 
			  n/a Derbyshire 12.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Derby 20.8 n/a n/a 
			 Sandwell 26.4 Sandwell 24.4 -1.9 -7.4 
			 Somerset 11.4 Somerset 10.6 -0.8 -7.3 
			 Trafford 19.4 Trafford 18.0 -1.4 -7.2 
			 Rotherham 21.2 Rotherham 19.8 -1.4 -6.8 
			 Southwark 46.4 Southwark 43.2 -3.1 -6.8 
			 Tameside 21.6 Tameside 20.1 -1.4 -6.7 
			 Dudley 17.0 Dudley 15.9 -1.1 -6.5 
			 Westminster 39.3 Westminster 36.8 -2.5 -6.4 
			 Humerside pre-LGR 19.9 Humerside post-LGR 18.6 -1.3 -6.4 
			  n/a Kingston upon Hull, City of 27.5 n/a n/a 
			  n/a East Riding of Yorkshire 10.6 n/a n/a 
			  n/a North East Lincolnshire 22.8 n/a n/a 
			  n/a North Lincolnshire 14.5 n/a n/a 
			 Staffordshire pre-LGR 16.3 Staffordshire post-LGR 15.3 -1.0 -6.3 
			  n/a Staffordshire 11.7 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Stoke-on-Trent 27.7 n/a n/a 
			 Rochdale 27.5 Rochdale 25.8 -1.7 -6.2 
			 Oldham 25.7 Oldham 24.2 -1.5 -5.7 
			 Suffolk 12.8 Suffolk 12.1 -0.7 -5.5 
			 Merton 17.8 Merton 16.8 -1.0 -5.5 
			 Cleveland pre-LGR 27.4 Cleveland post-LGR 26.2 -1.2 -4.3 
			  n/a Hartlepool 26.8 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Middlesbrough 32.1 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Redcar and Cleveland 25.4 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Stockton-on-Tees 21.9 n/a n/a 
			 Bromley 14.0 Bromley 13.6 -0.4 -3.2 
			 Lewisham 36.7 Lewisham 35.8 -0.9 -2.5 
			 Salford 30.5 Salford 29.8 -0.7 -2.4 
			 Birmingham 33.9 Birmingham 33.1 -0.7 -2.2 
			 Hereford and Worcester pre-LGR 9.4 Hereford and Worcester post-LGR 9.2 -0.2 -1.9 
			  n/a Herefordshire 7.3 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Worcestershire 9.8 n/a n/a 
			 Kingston upon Thames 8.0 Kingston upon Thames 7.9 -0.1 -1.3 
			 Manchester 45.2 Manchester 44.7 -0.6 -1.2 
			 Bury 16.0 Bury 15.8 -0.2 -1.1 
			 Sefton 21.4 Sefton 21.2 -0.2 -1.0 
			 Liverpool 38.8 Liverpool 38.4 -0.4 -0.9 
			 Kirklees 19.6 Kirklees 19.5 -0.1 -0.4 
			 St. Helens 20.9 St. Helens 20.8 -0.1 -0.3 
			 Tower Hamlets 60.2 Tower Hamlets 60.0 -0.1 -0.2 
			 Barnsley 24.2 Barnsley 24.2 0.0 -0.2 
			 Cheshire pre-LGR 14.2 Cheshire post-LGR 14.2 0.0 0.2 
			  n/a Cheshire 12.4 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Halton 27.2 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Warrington 11.5 n/a n/a 
			 Camden 36.2 Camden 36.5 0.3 0.7 
			 Greenwich 36.0 Greenwich 36.4 0.4 1.2 
			 Brent 26.8 Brent 27.2 0.4 1.5 
			 Leeds 19.6 Leeds 19.9 0.3 1.6 
			 Wakefield 18.3 Wakefield 18.7 0.3 1.7 
			 Richmond upon Thames 12.8 Richmond upon Thames 13.0 0.3 2.3 
			 Sunderland 27.5 Sunderland 28.4 0.9 3.1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 38.1 Hammersmith and Fulham 39.6 1.5 3.9 
			 Barnet 16.0 Barnet 16.7 0.7 4.1 
			 Northamptonshire 10.8 Northamptonshire 11.4 0.6 5.9 
			 Bexley 13.3 Bexley 14.1 0.8 6.2 
			 North Tyneside 20.2 North Tyneside 21.5 1.3 6.4 
			 Ealing 24.6 Ealing 26.3 1.7 6.8 
			 Wirral 27.4 Wirral 29.3 1.9 6.9 
			 Buckinghamshire pre-LGR 8.2 Buckinghamshire post-LGR 8.8 0.6 7.8 
			  n/a Buckinghamshire 6.6 n/a n/a 
			  n/a Milton Keynes 13.7 n/a n/a 
			 Redbridge 15.5 Redbridge 16.7 1.2 8.0 
			 Sutton 10.1 Sutton 10.9 0.8 8.3 
			 Haringey 36.3 Haringey 39.4 3.1 8.6 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 35.2 Kensington and Chelsea 38.8 3.5 10.1 
			 Hounslow 20.1 Hounslow 22.4 2.3 11.4 
			 Isles of Scilly 4.6 Isles of Scilly 5.1 0.5 11.5 
			 Croydon 19.5 Croydon 21.8 2.3 11.8 
			 Havering 10.9 Havering 12.4 1.5 13.4 
			 Cumbria 12.7 Cumbria 14.6 1.8 14.3 
			 Newham 32.3 Newham 39.7 7.4 22.8 
			 Hillingdon 10.9 Hillingdon 13.6 2.7 25.2 
			 Enfield 17.8 Enfield 22.6 4.7 26.6 
			 Barking and Dagenham 19.9 Barking and Dagenham 25.5 5.5 27.6 
			 Harrow 10.2 Harrow 13.9 3.7 35.9 
		
	
	(16) Single registered day pupils
	Notes:
	n/a = not applicable
	LGR = Local Government Reorganisation
	Between 1997 and 2000, 24 LEAs were subject to Local Government Reorganisation

School Places

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of (a) school places and (b) the shortage of teachers in the Buckingham constituency.

Stephen Timms: My Department does not collect detailed information on school places. The Government believe that decisions concerning the supply of school places are best taken locally by the main partners in the provision of education, who have knowledge of local needs. Local education authorities have a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places in their area. They must publish annually a School Organisation Plan setting out how they plan to deal with any surplus or deficit of places over a five-year rolling period.
	Where an LEA can demonstrate overall growth in the need for school places it may apply to my Department for capital funding.
	My Department does not hold figures on teacher shortages in the Buckingham constituency centrally.

School Places

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what latest assessment she has made of the shortage of (a) school places and (b) teachers in Arundel and South Downs.

Stephen Timms: My Department does not collect detailed information on school places. The Government believe that decisions concerning the supply of school places are best taken locally by the main partners in the provision of education, who have knowledge of local needs. Local education authorities have a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places in their area. They must publish annually a School Organisation Plan setting out how they plan to deal with any surplus or deficit of places over a five-year rolling period.
	Where a local education authority can demonstrate overall growth in the need for school places it may apply to my Department for capital funding.
	There were 82 teacher vacancies in the maintained schools sector, 1.6 per cent. of teachers, in West Sussex at January 2001. Figures for the constituency of Arundel and South Downs are not held centrally.

Pupil Attainment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if data showing average attainment level of pupils entering (a) individual primary and (b) individual secondary schools (i) are and (ii) could practically be made available centrally to her Department.

Stephen Timms: We do not hold data showing average attainment level of pupils entering individual primary schools.
	We have recently published the results of a pilot programme for the calculation of value added measures for secondary schools, showing the progress made from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 and from Key Stage 3 to GCSE/GNVQ. The evaluation of the pilot and further consultation in the new year will inform final decisions on the publication of these two measures for all secondary schools in the 2002 performance tables.

School Performance

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement in respect of the recent findings of the National Foundation of Educational Research in respect of average performance levels by (a) comprehensive schools and (b) grammar and secondary modern schools counted together.

Stephen Timms: The findings of the recent research by the National Foundation for Educational Research are interesting and not inconsistent with our own statistics that the GCSE results (based on grades and average point scores) for 15-year-olds in grammar schools are, broadly speaking, similar to those of the top 25 per cent. in comprehensive schools.

Investors in People (Slough)

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which organisations in Slough received Investors in People awards in each year since 1997.

John Healey: Organisations in Slough which have received Investors in People awards since 1997 are as follows:
	1997
	ICI Paints
	National Foundation for Education and Research
	Harris and Cartwright Solicitors
	Logical Networks plc
	Thames Valley CCI Trading Ltd.
	Brodeur Worldwide Ltd.
	1998
	Kinnarps (UK) Ltd.
	Davies Turner Air Cargo Ltd.
	Courtyard Marriot
	Kidde-Graviner Ltd.
	BT Teleconsult
	Cellnet
	Swan Stabilo Ltd.
	Copthorne Slough Windsor Hotel
	Citroen UK Ltd.
	1999
	BP Energy Ltd.
	Database Consultants International Ltd.
	Slough Grammar School
	Baylis Court County Secondary School
	Schneider Electric
	Celcius Ltd.
	Sara Lee Household and Body Care
	Langcet Ltd.
	Crane Davis Ltd.
	Spaggo's Bar and Grill
	Herschel Grammar School
	Owen White Solicitors
	Hygiene Group Ltd.
	Lease Plan UK Ltd.
	William Penn School
	Lent Rise County Combined School
	2000
	Grant Thornton-Thames Valley Office
	Sough Borough Council—Development and Consumer
	Protection
	Montem Infant School
	Compuware Ltd.
	Kay O'Neill Ltd.
	Godolphin Junior School
	Montem Junior School
	Westgate County Secondary School
	Windsor Slough Education Business Partnership
	Our Lady of Peace Catholic Junior School
	Lynch Hill Combined School
	Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry
	Eiti Ltd.
	Slough and Eaton CE School
	Industrial Design Consultancy Ltd.
	2001
	Our Lady of Peace RC Infant and Nursery School
	AC Controls Ltd.
	Coinbrook CE Primary School
	East Berkshire College
	Lea Infant School
	Marish Infant School and Nursery Unit.

Individual Learning Accounts

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she plans to introduce a replacement scheme for ILAs.

John Healey: We are developing future plans which build on the successful elements of the ILA programme. I hope to announce more details on the process for developing a further scheme in due course.

Infant Class Sizes

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action her Department is taking in relation to infant classes of 31 or more.

John Healey: holding answer 27 November 2001
	Since this September infant classes for five, six and seven-year-olds have been limited to no more than 30 children, except in a few limited circumstances permitted by the class size legislation.
	Figures published on 15 November 2001 showed that in September 2001 99.9 per cent. of infant classes had 30 or fewer pupils in them, or exceeded the limit for reasons permitted by the relevant legislation. Sixty-eight classes, just 0.1 per cent. of the total, appeared to be in breach of the limit. We are following these up with the local education authorities concerned to agree ways in which they can meet the limit.

Threshold Pay

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the estimated total cost of threshold pay is in 2001–02.

Stephen Timms: My Department paid over £400 million in threshold special grant to local authorities in the 2000–01 school year. In addition to continuing payments for teachers already on the upper pay scale, the cost of threshold pay in the 2001–02 financial year will depend on the number of teachers who cross the threshold this school year. That will not be known until the new year.

Threshold Pay

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received on the cost to schools and LEAs of threshold pay.

Stephen Timms: The Department provides special grant funding to meet the extra salary costs associated with teachers crossing the threshold. This arrangement is widely regarded as satisfactory.

Threshold Pay

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 20 November 2001, Official Report, column 259W, on threshold allowance awards, how many teachers received threshold back pay in the 2000–01 financial year in each local authority; how many teachers have paid higher rates of tax because their threshold back pay was held up to the 2001–02 financial year in each local authority; and what was (a) the average, (b) the shortest and (c) the longest time between head teacher and assessor approvals of threshold by each local authority.

Stephen Timms: The information requested has not been collected centrally and could be gathered only at disproportionate cost.

Lecturers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the latest figures are for the average pay of university lecturers; and what plans she has to increase this amount.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 28 November 2001
	The figures in the table reflect data collected for 1999–2000. The Government play no part in setting pay levels in the higher education sector.
	
		Average salary of full-time academic staff in UK HE institutions 1999–2000
		
			 Grade Average salary (£) 
		
		
			 Professors(17) 50,600 
			 Senior lecturers and Researchers(18) 37,300 
			 Lecturers(19) 28,400 
			 Researchers(20) 21,800 
			 Other grades(21) 30,000 
			 All grades 30,600 
		
	
	(17) Includes heads of departments, professors, former UAP scale researchers (grade IV), clinical professors and those appointed professors on a locally determined scale.
	(18) Includes principal lecturers, senior lecturers (former UAP/CSCFC scales), former UAP scale researchers (grade III), clinical senior lecturers and those appointed senior or principal lecturers on a locally determined scale.
	(19) Includes lecturers, senior lecturers (former PCEF scale), clinical lecturers and those appointed lecturers on a locally determined scale.
	(20) Includes all research grades not listed above and those appointed lecturers on a locally determined scale.
	(21) Includes all other grades of academic staff not listed above.

Lecturers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of university lecturers are employed on a part-time basis; and what plans she has to increase the use of part-time lecturers.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 28 November 2001
	The latest figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency are shown in the table. Higher education institutions as independent bodies are responsible for appointing their own staff. They will take into account their individual operational needs and circumstances in offering the contracts.
	
		Academic staff in UK higher education institutions 1999–2000
		
			  Numbers Percentage 
		
		
			 Full-time 113,790 84 
			 Part-time 21,960 16 
			  
			 Total 135,750 100 
		
	
	Source:
	Higher education statistics agency's staff record. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Teaching Reforms

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 22 November 2001, Official Report, column 465W, on teaching reforms, for what periods the (a) current and (b) new special grants apply; if schools will receive permanent increases to their budgets to cover the cost of threshold pay; and if she will guarantee that no school will lose out financially when special grants for threshold pay come to an end.

Stephen Timms: There are two current teachers' pay special grants. The one for performance pay progression runs to March 2002 and will be replaced by a new performance pay special grant that runs until March 2004. The other is for threshold pay, which runs to March 2003. We will consider longer-term funding arrangements for both threshold and performance pay in the next spending review. But we fully accept that they mean a permanent increase in the cost of teachers' pay and we will take proper account of that in our financial planning.

School Funds

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she gives to local education authorities to enable them to determine the allocation of funds to schools.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 29 November 2001
	In determining the allocation of funds to schools, local education authorities (LEAs) must comply with section 47 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, and the regulations made under that section contained in the Financing of Maintained Schools Regulations 2001, which set out the school funding framework in England.
	In April 2001, the DfES issued a policy note to LEAs on funding allocation, which encouraged authorities to look at ways of simplifying funding formulae.

White Paper Responses

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will summarise the responses to all consultations associated with the Education White Paper, including (a) the number of responses to each question, (b) the number and percentage supporting each provided response to each closed question, (c) a summary of the responses to open questions and (d) a list of those replying to each consultation.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 29 November 2001
	As well as the consultation on the White Paper itself, the Department launched six consultations associated with it during September 2001, covering School Governance; Admissions; Exclusion Appeals Panels; Early Years Education and Childcare; and 16–19 Organisation and Inspection.
	Quantitative reports on the White Paper, Governance and Admissions consultations are available on the Department's website and have been placed in the Library of the House. These consultations received 2,378, 4,385 and 416 responses respectively. In general, the consultation questions met with a broadly supportive response.
	The remaining consultation summaries will be made available in the same way shortly.

Faith Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will place in the Library copies of representations received in connection with the Department plans for faith schools.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 29 November 2001
	Our policy of faith schools was part of the White Paper "Schools: achieving success", which was the subject of wide-scale consultation. A copy of the interim report on the consultation has been placed in the Library and the full report will be published in due course.
	Publishing letters sent by members of the general public to this Department without their prior permission would represent a breach of confidentiality.

Teacher Recruitment

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list (a) the amount being paid under the additional moneys for recruitment and retention, (b) how many teacher vacancies there are and (c) the allocation of funds under the Starter Home Initiative, broken down by local education authority.

Stephen Timms: Concerning the amount being paid to each local authority under the recruitment and retention fund I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 November 2001, Official Report, column 408W. Concerning the number of teacher vacancies I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 November 2001, Official Report, columns 59–60W. The successful bids to provide homes for key workers under the Starter Home Initiative, the total amount allocated to each bid and the areas the bid covers are contained in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries.

Exam Results

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the relative examination performance of (a) faith and (b) non-faith schools since 1997;
	(2)  what are the average (a) GCSE and (b) A level results for each local education authority for (i) faith and (ii) non-faith schools for (A) 1997, (B) 1998, (C) 1999, (D) 2000 and (E) 2001.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 23 November 2001
	The requested information for maintained mainstream schools is as shown.
	The percentage of 15-year-old pupils in England achieving five or more GCSE grades A*-C or the GNVC equivalent in (a) faith and (b) non-faith schools since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Faith schools Non-faith schools 
		
		
			 1997 49.4 42.3 
			 1998 50.6 43.6 
			 1999 52.9 45.4 
			 2000 54.5 46.7 
			 2001 55.3 47.8 
		
	
	The average GCE A/AS point score per 16 to 18-year-old entered for two or more A/AS exams in (a) faith schools and (b) non-faith schools since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Faith schools Non-faith schools 
		
		
			 1997 17.1 17.1 
			 1998 17.8 17.6 
			 1999 18.0 17.9 
			 2000 18.2 18.2 
			 2001(22) 17.9 17.3 
		
	
	(22) The coverage of advanced results differs to that of previous years. The figures for 2001 are concerned with cumulative results over the last two years for 16 to 18-year-olds. The figures for 2001 are therefore not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
	The LEA breakdown of this information is shown in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries.

High Quality Teaching

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 7 November 2001, Official Report, column 245W, on high quality teaching, how much funding is provided to support teachers' performance pay through special grants for each local education authority; and how many teachers in each local education authority are in receipt of this funding.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 26 November 2001
	Allocations for each LEA under the new special grants for 2002 to 2004 will be made in the spring.
	On threshold funding, for threshold assessments made in 2000–01, tables set out the number of full-time equivalent teachers who have passed the threshold and in respect of whom we have paid claims by LEAs. The payments made to LEAs are also listed. Copies of these tables have been placed in the Libraries.

TREASURY

Pre-Budget Report

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if table 4.3 of the pre-Budget report includes the effects of (a) income tax, (b) housing benefit withdrawal and (c) council tax benefit withdrawal;
	(2)  if he will produce an amended version of table 4.3 of the pre-Budget report including the effects of withdrawal of housing benefit and council tax benefit;
	(3)  if he will produce an amended version of table 4.3 of the pre-Budget report including the effects of income tax.

Dawn Primarolo: Table 4.3 of the 2001 pre-Budget report includes the effects of income tax and the withdrawal of housing benefit and council tax benefit.

Working Families Tax Credit

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies his Department has undertaken on the impact of working families tax credit on the levels of (a) income tax paid, (b) national insurance paid and (c)other benefits paid by recipients; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: As a result of working families tax credit, families in receipt and working for more than 30 hours a week now pay no net income tax if their earnings are below £265 per week. The wider impact of working families tax credit will be assessed as part of a comprehensive programme of evaluation.

International Tax Recoveries

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answers of 25 October 2001, Official Report, column 375W, and 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 360W, on international tax recoveries, how much in total the International Division of the Inland Revenue recovered in compliance cases in the tax year ending 2000 from tax payers paying at least £100 million; whether those tax payers were individuals or corporations; and what was their national domicile.

Dawn Primarolo: The total amount recovered from taxpayers paying at least £100 million was £499 million. Both taxpayers were corporate entities, who are resident in the UK.

Statutory Maternity Pay

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of those businesses providing statutory maternity pay to their employees have made a claim to be reimbursed in each financial year since 1996.

Dawn Primarolo: All employers are required to pay Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) to eligible employees. Employers do not have to make a claim to have SMP reimbursed; they recover it from the national insurance contributions (NICs) that they are due to pay over to the Inland Revenue each month.
	Information is not available in the form requested. Although we have accurate figures of the numbers of employers recovering SMP we do not presently record the number of employers paying SMP. The number of employers who recovered SMP in each year is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 95,524 
			 1998–99 70,812 
		
	
	No data are currently available for any later year. A random sample check of employers who pay SMP is carried out each year. Data from this sample check indicate that between 88 per cent. and 90 per cent. of employers do recover all the SMP that they have paid out.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Liverpool

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on (a) delays at Liverpool office of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, (b) their cause and (c) production of naturalisation certificates.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 27 November 2001
	Last month, new computer equipment was installed in the Directorate. It was necessary to stop issuing certificates of citizenship between 17 October and 12 November while the installation of the equipment was successfully completed. Certificates of citizenship are now being issued to successful applicants.

Residency

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 12 November 2001, Official Report, column 558W, when his officials received an application on behalf of Mrs. Melissa Jane Gryspeerdt of Chippenham, Wiltshire, maiden name— Dodd, date of posting—August 2001; when they expect to process it; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 20 November 2001
	It has not been possible to trace any application in August from Mrs. Melissa Jane Gryspeerdt. But an application from her was received by special delivery post on 17 September. On examination it was found to be invalid because a document specified in the application form had not been provided. It was accordingly returned to Mrs. Gryspeerdt by recorded delivery post on 18 October. The Royal Mail confirmed that the package was delivered in Chippenham on 20 October.

Charity Commission Investigations

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what organisations are being investigated by the Charity Commission for possible (a) terrorist links and (b) money laundering activities.

Angela Eagle: This is a matter for the Charity Commission who will write to my hon. Friend. A copy of the Commission's reply will be placed in the Library.

Wrongfully Convicted Prisoners

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the Question of the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside, of 29 October on the publication of his Department's report on support for wrongly convicted prisoners.

Beverley Hughes: I have replied to my hon. Friend today. I am sorry for the delay in doing so.

Wrongfully Convicted Prisoners

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish his Department's report on after-care for wrongfully convicted prisoners.

Beverley Hughes: The study has contributed useful material for further development of proposals but it does not stand alone, and was an internal document not designed for wider circulation. The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux has been commissioned to develop a project proposal. I expect to make an announcement early in the new year.

Vivisection

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to establish a Royal Commission on vivisection; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Redcar (Vera Baird) on 13 November 2001, Official Report, column 645W.

Asylum Seekers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for reducing asylum decision times.

Angela Eagle: The target for the current year is to decide 60 per cent. of new substantive asylum claims within two months. We are taking a range of measures, including strengthening asylum decision capacity and streamlining internal casework procedures, to support delivery of the target. It is planned that interim data on performance during the period April-September 2001 will be published during the first half of 2002.

Asylum Seekers

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consultations he has undertaken with local authorities about proposals for levels of funding for asylum seekers.

Angela Eagle: Officials from National Asylum Support Service (NASS) met with representatives of the Association of London Government (ALG) and Local Government Association (LGA) on 22 October and 9 November this year. Also present at these meetings were representatives from the Audit Commission and, at the first meeting only, the Rent Service.
	Discussions covered arrangements for an interim grant payment to cover costs in the first half of this year, and an agreed letter has been sent to all local authorities. They also covered proposals to increase the information given by local authorities to the Home Office in support of claims. This is to improve communication from the Home Office to local authorities on case status, so that next year's grant can be based on agreed lists of named asylum seekers. Discussion of grant arrangements for 2001–02 continue and another meeting is planned for early in the new year.

Asylum Seekers

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authorities have indicated that their costs of supporting asylum seekers exceed (a) current and (b) proposed grant levels.

Angela Eagle: In 2000–01, based on unaudited claims, some 60 local authorities had costs that exceeded the grant levels. Of these 38 had shortfalls of less than £50,000.
	Grant limits for the current year have yet to be confirmed. We are discussing with local authority associations proposals which take into account the recommendations of the Audit Commission report "Halfway Home" and also allow proper scope to recognise the reasons for high costs in some authorities.

Kainos Programme Evaluation Report

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the recommendations made by the Kainos Programme Evaluation report.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 26 November 2001
	I understand that the main report is still in draft form. When the recommendations are available the Kainos trustees (who own the report) have agreed that a copy may be placed in the Library, and I will ensure that this is done. The Executive Summary, which has been finalised, has already been placed in the Library.

Kainos Programme Evaluation Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the cost and effectiveness of the Kainos units in prisons.

Beverley Hughes: I understand from information provided by Kainos that the additional cost of the units was of the order of £60,000 a year in each prison. In the course of a year typically 50–70 prisoners went through the programme in each prison.
	An independent evaluation found no statistical basis for concluding that prisoners who had been through the Kainos programme had re-conviction rates that were any lower than would be expected for similar released prisoners as a whole. It found some modest improvements in prisoners' attitudes and behaviour, and that the programme made a positive contribution to order and control.
	The Prison Service Management Board concluded that the benefits of the programme were not sufficient to justify its meeting the costs from public funds.

Work Permits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were granted in 2000 and in which categories.

Angela Eagle: In the 2000 calendar year, a total of 102,174 work permit applications were approved as follows:
	
		
			 Type of permit Number issued 
		
		
			 Business and Commercial 72,550 
			 Sports and Entertainments 21,817 
			 Training and Work Experience 7,807 
			  
			 Total 102,174

Work Permits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many footballers have been granted work permits in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The following table illustrates how many footballers have been granted work permits in each year since 1997:
	
		
			  Number of work permits approved 
		
		
			 1997 53 
			 1998 67 
			 1999 78 
			 2000 76 
			 2001 (To date) 36

Prison Officers (Ethnic Minorities)

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prison officers are from black and ethnic minorities; and what is the proportion of those employed in prisons operated by private companies.

Beverley Hughes: The Home Secretary's Race Equality Employment Targets Second Annual Report was published on 13 November. On 13 March 2001, minority ethnic staff made up 3.7 per cent. of the Prison Service's 43,800 staff and 2.6 per cent. of the operational work force. There were 18,720 prison officers of which 1.7 per cent. were black and 1.2 per cent. were from other minority ethnic backgrounds. There were also 1,456 Prison Custody Officers employed in privately operated prisons, of which 2.1 per cent. were black and 1.2 per cent. were from other minority ethnic backgrounds.
	By 30 September 2001 the proportion of minority ethnic staff in the service's work force rose to 3.8 per cent.

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome was of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held in Brussels on 16 November; what the Government's policy was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I, together with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and Jim Wallace, the Acting First Minister for Scotland, represented the United Kingdom at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels on 16 November.
	A Points
	The A points were approved as in document 13978/01 (a copy of which is in the Library), except for items 6 and 7, on which one member state maintained its parliamentary scrutiny reserve.
	Framework Decision on a European Arrest Warrant
	On scope, the Presidency sought agreement to its compromise proposal that the European arrest warrant should apply to a list of offences, with dual criminality abolished for such offences. The Commission proposed that sabotage, arson, hijacking and serious violation of international humanitarian law be added to the list of offences. The majority of member states agreed to this proposal.
	There was broad agreement to a 60-day deadline, extendable by 30 days, within which surrender procedures should be completed in the executing state.
	The draft Framework Decision will return to the December Justice and Home Affairs Councils for final consideration.
	Framework Decision on Combating Terrorism
	Provisional agreement was reached on Article 1 (terrorist intent) with some drafting changes. An addition on the right to demonstrate was added at the request of one member state. The Council agreed, after an intervention from the United Kingdom delegation, to return to the definition contained in the United Nations conventions on terrorism restricting the exemption for belligerents in armed conflicts to the armed forces.
	With regard to penalties for terrorist offences, the Commission made a compromise proposal based on a range of penalties for these offences and one member state proposed alternative wording for Article 4.3. Further consideration will be given to these options.
	There was no opposition to a Presidency proposal for optional extraterritorial jurisdiction. The Framework Decision will be resubmitted to the December Justice and Home Affairs Council for final consideration.
	Debate on Implementation of the Tampere Conclusions
	There was a general debate on the papers which the Presidency and the Commission had produced. The Home Secretary emphasised the United Kingdom's commitment to playing a strong role in operational action to combat illegal immigration at and beyond the external borders of the European Union. One member state advocated the creation of a European Union border forum, while others argued for the creation of a European union border service, and one favoured a feasibility study into the creation of a European Union border service.
	The Home Secretary stressed the need for faster progress on the asylum agenda; there was little support for a standstill clause on national legislation and an open method of co-ordinating national policies on asylum.
	The Home Secretary argued that European Union law enforcement bodies should be more effective and co-ordinated and, together with one other member state, stressed that the Police Chiefs' Task Force should be more focused on operational activity and more accountable to the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Four member states spoke in favour of clarifying the role of the Task Force and one noted proposals for an operational Europol. The Home Secretary noted that the European Union needed to step up European Union action against drugs.
	My right hon. Friend Jim Wallace stressed the importance of mutual recognition in civil matters and the good record of co-operation between the legal systems of England and Wales and Scotland. The Home Secretary agreed that the United Kingdom continued to regard mutual recognition of judicial decisions as fundamental to judicial co-operation in both criminal and civil matters at European Union level.
	Harmonisation of penalties
	This item was postponed until the December Council.
	Other Business
	Schengen Information System
	The Austrian delegation introduced its initiative on use of the Schengen Information System and the Schengen acquis to combat terrorism. This issue will be considered at the December Council.
	European Judicial Atlas
	Work had been completed on the European Judicial Atlas. This would assist judicial authorities in each member state to identify the appropriate authority to receive and carry out a request for legal assistance in another member state.

Parenting Orders

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the cost to public funds in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 of parenting orders.

Angela Eagle: The estimated cost of parenting orders in 2000–01 was £1,274,000 and we estimate the cost in 2001–02 will be £1,668,000.

Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Hindu groups he has consulted on the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill.

Beverley Hughes: Ministers have spoken informally about the Bill with a number of leaders of faith communities, including a representative of the National Council of Hindu Temples United Kingdom. Officials also discussed the proposals in the Bill with two groups of faith community representatives who requested meetings—Muslims and Christians—and there are arrangements in place for continuing contact with faith groups of all kinds on matters of interest to them.

Extradition

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which countries have reciprocal extradition arrangements with the United Kingdom, and to which countries he is unable to (a) deport and (b) extradite on humanitarian grounds.

Angela Eagle: The United Kingdom has general extradition arrangements with the following countries.
	Countries which are party to European Convention on Extradition
	Albania
	Andorra
	Austria
	Belgium
	Bulgaria
	Croatia
	Cyprus
	Czech Republic
	Denmark
	Estonia
	Finland
	Germany
	Greece
	Hungary
	Iceland
	Israel
	Italy
	Latvia
	Liechtenstein
	Lithuania
	Luxembourg
	Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of
	Malta
	Moldova
	The Netherlands
	Norway
	Poland
	Portugal
	Romania
	Slovakia
	Slovenia
	Spain
	Sweden
	Switzerland
	Turkey
	Ukraine
	Countries with which UK has a bilateral treaty
	Argentina
	Bolivia
	Brazil
	Chile
	Colombia
	Cuba
	Ecuador
	El Salvadour
	Guatemala
	Haiti
	Iraq
	Liberia
	Mexico
	Monaco
	Nicaragua
	Panama
	Paraguay
	Peru
	San Marino
	Thailand
	Uruguay
	USA
	Yugoslavia
	Commonwealth extradition partners
	Antigua and Barbuda
	Australia
	The Bahamas
	Bangladesh
	Barbados
	Belize
	Botswana
	Brunei
	Canada
	Cook Islands
	Dominica
	Fiji
	The Gambia
	Ghana
	Grenada
	Guyana
	India
	Jamaica
	Kenya
	Kiribati
	Lesotho
	Malawi
	Malaysia
	Maldives
	Mauritius
	Nauru
	New Zealand
	Nigeria
	Papua New Guinea
	Saint Christopher and Nevis
	Saint Lucia
	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
	Seychelles
	Sierra Leone
	Singapore
	Solomon Islands
	South Africa
	Sri Lanka
	Swaziland
	Tanzania
	Tonga
	Trinidad and Tobago
	Tuvalu
	Uganda
	Western Samoa
	Zambia
	Zimbabwe
	Overseas Territories
	Anguilla
	Bermuda
	British Antarctic Territory
	British Indian Ocean Territory
	Cayman Islands
	Falkland Islands
	Gibraltar
	Montserrat
	Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
	St. Helena and St. Helena Dependencies
	South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
	The UK Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Cyprus)
	Turks and Caicos Islands
	British Virgin Islands
	Other Countries
	Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
	Republic of Ireland.
	Whether and to what country a person may be extradited or deported will depend on the facts of the particular case.

Extradition

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) deportation orders and (b) extradition orders are subject to judicial review; how many have been subject to a judicial review in the past two years; how many reviews have been successful; what were the judicial rulings in each case; what was the time taken in each case; on how many occasions were successful reviews appealed by (i) his Department and (ii) those of his colleagues; how many of these appeals were successful; and what was the time taken in each case.

Angela Eagle: Seven decisions to order the surrender of a fugitive are currently the subject of judicial review applications. No such challenge to a surrender decision has succeeded in the past two years.
	The information otherwise requested is not readily available and could be obtained, I regret, only at disproportionate cost.

Extradition

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons (a) have been in the past year and (b) are subject of extradition proceedings; and from which countries.

Angela Eagle: Over the recent past, the United Kingdom has received an average of 100 requests per year from its many extradition partners. The arrest of a fugitive marks the start of extradition proceedings. 120 cases are currently the subject of such proceedings. There would have been a similar number over the past 12 months. Requesting jurisdictions in the current cases are as follows:
	
		
			 Requesting jurisdiction Number of requests(23)  
		
		
			 USA 35 
			 Germany 12 
			 France 11 
			 Italy 10 
			 Switzerland 7 
			 Czech Republic 7 
			 Netherlands 5 
			 Lithuania 5 
			 Turkey 4 
			 Belgium 4 
			 South Africa 3 
			 Portugal 2 
			 Canada 2 
			 Spain 2 
			 HKSAR 2 
			 Poland 1 
			 Estonia 1 
			 Russia 1 
			 Seychelles 1 
			 Greece 1 
			 Finland 1 
			 Sweden 1 
			 Latvia 1 
			 Algeria 1 
		
	
	(23) The figures do not include requests from Ireland which are not collected centrally.

Yacht Harbours and Marinas (Security)

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what security measures are applied at yacht harbours and marinas to counter (a) illegal immigration, (b) drugs trafficking and (c) terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions that protective security advice has been circulated by Transec and covers maritime activities in these areas.
	The Immigration Service is in contact with harbour masters and coastguards in order to increase their awareness of immigration issues. It works closely with Her Majesty's Customs and Excise maritime intelligence and has had success in apprehending small vessels as a result.
	Yacht harbours and marinas are included within the overall drugs trafficking intelligence assessments used by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise; resources are deployed in line with these assessments.
	Specific security measures at individual small ports are the responsibility of individual chief constables in those jurisdictions.